Jeffrey Salazar
Diet pills that contain amphetamines or amphetamine-like substances can cause a person to test positive for amphetamines. Amphetamines are well-known appetite suppressants that cause weight loss. They are, however, associated with detrimental side effects such as hypertension, tachycardia, arrhythmias, and myocardial infarctions. While amphetamine-containing diet pills are no longer approved for use, they can still be found in some weight-loss supplements. False positives for amphetamines can also be caused by other drugs with similar structures, such as 1,3 dimethylamylamine (DMAA), which is found in some dietary supplements, and atomoxetine, a prescription medication.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for false positives | Similar structure to amphetamine |
| Drugs causing false positives | Amantadine, Vicks Inhaler, Desipramine, Aripiprazole, Atomoxetine, Atenolol, Bisoprolol, Sildenafil, Tapentadol, Tramadol, Bupropion, Pseudoephedrine, Phenylephrine, 1,3 dimethylamylamine (DMAA) |
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What You'll Learn
- Dietary supplements may contain amphetamines or amphetamine-like substances
- False positives can be caused by drugs with similar structures to amphetamines
- Amantadine and Vicks Inhaler can cause false positives
- Atomoxetine may cause false positives
- Bupropion, an antidepressant, is structurally similar to amphetamines
Dietary supplements may contain amphetamines or amphetamine-like substances
Weight loss is a highly marketed topic in American society. Dietary regimens and medications that claim to boost metabolism are popular. Amphetamines are well-known appetite suppressants and cause weight loss. However, they have detrimental side effects, including hypertension, tachycardia, arrhythmias, and, in some cases, acute myocardial infarction.
In recent years, the use of dietary supplements for weight control and athletic performance enhancement has increased. Dietary supplements are easily purchased in health stores, drug stores, gyms, and online. Botanical dietary supplements may be perceived as safe because they are "natural". However, they may contain amphetamines or amphetamine-like substances.
Acacia rigidula, a bushy plant found in Texas and Mexico, is an ingredient in several weight loss and energy supplements. It is also known as β-phenylethylamine (β-PEA) and BMPEA. Tests of supposedly all-natural supplements found products containing Acacia rigidula that had amphetamine-like effects. The FDA has determined that BMPEA is not naturally present in food and has not been proven safe or effective. Therefore, the inclusion of BMPEA in a dietary supplement is illegal.
Another drug that has been associated with false positive results for amphetamines is 1,3-dimethylamylamine (DMAA), an ingredient in some dietary and weight-loss supplements. A case report linked a false positive amphetamine screening to the use of the weight-loss supplement Oxyelite Pro.
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False positives can be caused by drugs with similar structures to amphetamines
False positives on amphetamine tests can be caused by drugs with similar structures to amphetamines. Immunoassay tests for amphetamines use antibodies to look for certain drug metabolites, which are compounds that a drug breaks down into. However, these antibodies may detect drug metabolites with similar structures and characteristics to amphetamines, leading to false positives. For this reason, immunoassay tests are considered preliminary and should be followed up with confirmatory tests.
Several drugs have been associated with false positives for amphetamines due to their structural similarity. These include atomoxetine, which has been confirmed to cause false positives in at least one case, and atenolol, bisoprolol, sildenafil, tapentadol, and tramadol, which have also been associated with false positives. Additionally, 1,3-dimethylamylamine (DMAA), an ingredient in some dietary and weight-loss supplements, has been linked to false positives in amphetamine tests.
Other medications that have been reported to cause false positives for amphetamines include amantadine, an antiviral and symptomatic treatment for Parkinson's disease, and certain OTC nasal inhalers, such as Vicks Inhaler, which contains l-methamphetamine, an isomer of methamphetamine useful for treating nasal congestion. Bupropion, an antidepressant and smoking cessation aid, has also been associated with false positives due to its structural similarity to amphetamines.
It is important to note that false positives can occur not only due to structural similarity but also due to laboratory errors or interactions with other substances. Therefore, when interpreting urine drug screening results, it is crucial to consider the potential for false positives and negatives and to follow up with confirmatory tests when necessary.
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Amantadine and Vicks Inhaler can cause false positives
Amphetamines are well-known appetite suppressants that aid in weight loss. They are commonly abused by people aiming to lose weight. However, amphetamines have several detrimental side effects, including hypertension, tachycardia, arrhythmias, and in certain instances, acute myocardial infarction.
A false-positive test result means that your drug test shows the presence of a medication or substance that you aren't actually taking. For instance, a methamphetamine test comes back positive for methamphetamines, even though you haven't taken any. False-positive results can be due to a laboratory error, but the most common reason for a false-positive methamphetamine test is the use of other medications or substances that have a similar structure to methamphetamine.
Amantadine, a drug that can prevent the flu and treat symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, has been reported to cause false-positive results for methamphetamine or amphetamine. Amantadine has a similar structure to amphetamine, which can lead to false-positive results in immunoassay testing.
Vicks Inhaler, which contains l-methamphetamine, an isomer of methamphetamine, has also been known to cause false positives in drug tests. L-methamphetamine is useful for treating nasal congestion and is legal because it has little activity in the brain. However, it can still be detected in urine drug screens, leading to false-positive results.
It is important to be aware that certain medications can cause false positives in drug tests, especially when testing for substances with similar structures, such as amphetamine and methamphetamine. In such cases, more sophisticated drug testing methods can help confirm whether a person is actually abusing the substance or if it is a false positive.
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Atomoxetine may cause false positives
Atomoxetine is a prescription medication used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is a stimulant treatment that has been known to cause false positives for amphetamines on urine toxicology screens.
A patient who had tested positive for amphetamines denied any use of illicit drugs, herbal medications, or supplements. Her other prescription medications were also not known to cause false-positive results for amphetamines. The only new addition to her medication regimen was atomoxetine, which led to the conclusion that atomoxetine or its metabolites were the cause of the false-positive test result.
This highlights the first confirmed case of atomoxetine-induced false-positive amphetamine on a CEDIA immunoassay. This case adds to the current documentation of prescription medications known to elicit false-positive results for amphetamine on urine toxicology screens.
It is important to note that immunoassay testing for amphetamines may not always be accurate and can result in false positives. These tests use antibodies to detect drug metabolites, which are the compounds that a drug breaks down into. If these antibodies detect drug metabolites with a similar structure and characteristics to amphetamines, it can lead to a false-positive result. Therefore, it is recommended that immunoassay testing be followed up with confirmatory testing to ensure accurate results.
Other prescription medications that have been known to cause false-positive results for amphetamines include fluoxetine, selegiline, ranitidine, trazodone, nefazodone, brompheniramine, phenylpropanolamine, chlorpromazine, promethazine, ephedrine, methamphetamine, and labetalol. Over-the-counter medications that can cause false positives include nasal decongestants, Vicks inhaler, MDMA, and pseudoephedrine.
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Bupropion, an antidepressant, is structurally similar to amphetamines
Amphetamines are well-known appetite suppressants that cause weight loss. They are, therefore, commonly found in dietary supplements and weight loss regimens. However, amphetamines have detrimental side effects, including hypertension, tachycardia, arrhythmias, and in certain instances, acute myocardial infarction.
Bupropion, an antidepressant medication, has been found to have a similar structure to amphetamines. It is also known structurally as 3-chloro-N-tert-butyl-β-keto-α-methylphenethylamine, 3-chloro-N-tert-butyl-β-ketoamphetamine, or 3-chloro-N-tert-butylcathinone. Bupropion is chemically an aminoketone that belongs to the class of substituted cathinones and the more general class of substituted phenethylamines.
Bupropion has stimulant effects and selective activity at dopamine and norepinephrine receptors, and has been identified as having mild amphetamine-like activity, particularly when inhaled or injected. Bupropion is also known to lower the seizure threshold, making any pre-existing seizure conditions a contraindication to its use.
Bupropion has been reported to cause false-positive urine amphetamine tests. This is because the immunoassay testing for amphetamine uses antibodies to look for certain drug metabolites, and these antibodies may detect drug metabolites with similar structures and characteristics to amphetamine, leading to false-positive results. Therefore, immunoassay testing should be followed up by confirmatory testing whenever a test comes back positive.
Bupropion is a relatively weak inhibitor of the neuronal uptake of norepinephrine and dopamine when compared to classical tricyclic antidepressants. It is also less likely than other antidepressants to cause sexual dysfunction. Bupropion has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of depression and seasonal affective disorder, and as an aid for smoking cessation.
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Frequently asked questions
Amphetamines are well known to suppress appetite and cause weight loss. They are also known to have detrimental side effects, including hypertension, tachycardia, arrhythmias, and in certain instances, acute myocardial infarction.
Phentermine and Fenfluramine are two medications that were previously used in combination to aid weight loss. However, due to reports of increased cardiovascular events, the drug was withdrawn from the market in 1997.
Yes, certain dietary supplements and weight-loss pills may contain amphetamines or amphetamine-like substances, leading to a positive test result.
Substances such as atomoxetine, amantadine, and Vicks Inhaler have been associated with false-positive results for amphetamines on certain drug tests.
It is important to follow up with confirmatory testing, such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), to definitively rule out the presence of amphetamines in the system.
