Met-Rx

Met-Rx

MET-Rx is a brand name of nutritional supplements, originally produced by Met-Rx, Inc., a California company started by A. Scott Connelly, and sold several times since.

The brand is best known as the product to pioneer a new category of bodybuilding supplements known as Meal Replacement Powders or MRPs. It was also involved in the androstenedione controversy in the late 1990s.

Contents

Company

Created by Dr. Scott Connelly, the original MET-Rx product was intended to help prevent critically ill patients from losing muscle mass. Connelly's product was marketed in cooperation with Bill Phillips and the two began marketing to the bodybuilding and athletic communities, launching sales from the low hundreds of thousands to over $100 million annually.[1] Connelly sold all interest in the company to Rexall Sundown for $108 million in 2000.[2] MET-Rx is currently owned by NBTY.

Products

Original MET-Rx MRP

The original MET-Rx meal replacement product came in two canisters - one labeled MET-Rx "base" and the other MET-Rx "plus." The instructions were to take two scoops of the base and one scoop of the plus and mix them in milk or water. As the product grew more popular, it was released combining the "base" and "plus" into one formula while removing the micellar casein component. As a result, the original METAMYOSYN blend is no longer used in MET-Rx products, as the current incarnation does not contain micellar casein.[3]

MET-Rx's meal replacements and protein powders contain a proprietary blend (known as METAMYOSYN) which consists of ingredients such as whey protein, calcium caseinate, egg albumen and milk protein isolate, combined with maltodextrin, vitamins, minerals and added amino acids.[4]

An NBC DateLine broadcast on October 6, 1996, entitled "Hype in a Bottle" investigated MET-Rx USA, Inc. The report revealed that MET-Rx had failed to provide published peer-reviewed documentation to substantiate its advertising claims. In October 1993 the "MET-Rx Substantiation Report" was provided to David Lightsey of the National Council Against Health Fraud. The report claimed association with Cooper Clinic in Dallas, Texas. The report noted that several Dallas Cowboys had gained an average of 2.5 to 3 pounds of lean body mass weekly for six week when using a MET-Rx product - an obvious red flag. Cooper Clinic was contacted of possible misrepresentation. Cooper Clinic issued a cease and desist letter to Met-Rx from the Cooper Clinic president and medical director.[5]

In February 1995, the Penn State Sports Medicine Newsletter (3;6) published a report titles "Is It Real or Is It Met-Rx?" that concluded, "MET-Rx ... claims of fat loss and increased muscle mass have not been proven by scientifically accepted methods".

The National Council Against Health Fraud discussed Met-Rx in several issues of their newsletter, pointing out that the scientific claims of the manufacturer were not based on scientific studies but on the endorsement on celebrities.[6][7][8][9]

Androstenedione

In 1999 the FTC sued Met-Rx (and rival AST) over claims that their products were not safe. Both products contain androstenedione, which the FTC said posed risks to consumers.[10][11]

Marketing

MET-Rx currently features a wide variety of television sponsorships such as the MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest and as of 2004 the company claimed the brand was endorsed by 50 top athletes.[12]

MET-Rx also sponsors dozens of athletes, bodybuilders and celebrities, as well as being the primary sponsor of the World's Strongest Man competition. Phillip Heath, IFBB pro, and Lauren Jones, Miss MET-Rx 2007, Fitness Model and Former WWE Diva, are among their list of endorsees.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ Epstein, David; Dohrmann, George. "What You Don't Know Might Kill You", Sports Illustrated, May 18, 2009.
  2. ^ "Rexall Sundown to Acquire MET-Rx for $108 Million". California, Florida: Prnewswire.com. http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/12-15-1999/0001096826&EDATE=. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  3. ^ "Protein Magic by TC Luoma". Biotestedge.com.au. http://www.biotestedge.com.au/products/metabolicdrive.html. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  4. ^ h[ttp://www.metrx.com/shop/parent.aspx?parentID=3&catID=1 Met-Rx.com Product Description]
  5. ^ "Muscles, speed & lies: what the ... - Google Books". Books.google.com. http://books.google.com/books?id=XWDMbj-dNrAC&pg=PA42&lpg=PA42&dq=Muscle+Speed+and+Lies+MET-Rx+in+the+media&source=bl&ots=Oq1TIOrCLh&sig=XzGklzqNlsDjpA9QPYNO41TFGY&hl=en&ei=OrFETaisA4eisAO0_tCOCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CB0Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  6. ^ "NCAHF Newsletter September/October 1995". Ncahf.org. http://www.ncahf.org/nl/1995/9-10.html. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  7. ^ "NCAHF Newsletter November/December 1998". Ncahf.org. http://www.ncahf.org/nl/1998/11-12.html. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  8. ^ "NCAHF Newsletter Jan/Feb 1996". Ncahf.org. 1995-05-17. http://www.ncahf.org/nl/1996/1-2.html. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  9. ^ "NCAHF Newsletter November/December 2002". Ncahf.org. http://www.ncahf.org/nl/2002/11-12.html. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  10. ^ "SPORTS MEDICINE; F.T.C. Says Sellers of Andro Must Outline Risks". NY Times. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F0071EFC3A590C748DDDA80994D1494D81. Retrieved 25 January 2011. 
  11. ^ Hasler, Clare M (2005). Regulation of functional foods and nutraceuticals: a global perspective. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 411. ISBN 0-8138-1177-5. 
  12. ^ "NBTY to push branding of sports range". Nutraingredients-usa.com. http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?id=50180. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 

Further reading

  • Lightsey, David. Muscles, Speed & Lies: What the Sport Supplement Industry does not want Athletes or Consumers to Know, pp. 42–44: "Media Reports on Met-Rx". Globe Pequot, 2006. ISBN 978-1-59228-912-7.

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • met — met …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • met — met·ri·cal; met·ri·cism; met·ri·cist; met·ri·fi·ca·tion; met·ri·fy; met·rio·cra·nic; met·rio·metopic; met·ro·logical; met·ro·mania; met·ron; met·ro·nome; met·ro·nom·ic; met·ro·pole; met·ro·pol·i·tan·ate; met·ro·pol·i·tan·ism;… …   English syllables

  • Met — Met, auch Honigwein genannt, ist ein alkoholisches Getränk aus Honig und Wasser. Teilweise werden auch, besonders in der privaten Produktion, verschiedene Gewürze, Früchte und Fruchtsäfte (zumeist Äpfel und Apfelsaft) zugegeben oder anstelle des… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Met — or MET or The Met may refer to: Contents 1 In the arts 2 In computing and the Internet 3 In medicine and physiology 4 In public safety …   Wikipedia

  • Met 3 — site in March 2011 General information Status On hold Type Resid …   Wikipedia

  • mét- — mét(a) ♦ Élément, du gr. meta, exprimant la succession, le changement, la participation, et en philosophie et dans les sciences humaines « ce qui dépasse, englobe » (un objet, une science) : métalangage, métamathématique. ⇒MÉT(A) , (MÉT , MÉTA… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Met — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. {{{image}}}   Sigles d une seule lettre   Sigles de deux lettres > Sigles de trois lettres …   Wikipédia en Français

  • met- — Met : ↑ meta , Meta . * * * met , Met : ↑meta , ↑Meta (1). me|ta , Me|ta , (vor Vokalen u. vor h:) met , Met [met(a) , auch: mɛt(a) ; griech. metá] …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Met- — Met : ↑ meta , Meta . * * * met , Met : ↑meta , ↑Meta (1). me|ta , Me|ta , (vor Vokalen u. vor h:) met , Met [met(a) , auch: mɛt(a) ; griech. metá]: 1. bedeutet in Bildungen mit Adjektiven od. Sub …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Met 2 — Localisation Coordonnées …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”