Many arthritis and pain meds are tainted with harmful drugs, FDA warns

Pain medication is supposed to help you feel better.

But the Food and Drug Administration is now warning the public that many over-the-counter products promoted for pain and arthritis contain potentially harmful ingredients that aren’t listed on the label.

Some of these hidden ingredients are prescription drugs such as steroids, muscle relaxants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

“Some hidden ingredients can be very dangerous — especially for someone that is allergic to the hidden ingredient … or if the hidden ingredient is found in significant amounts that interacts with other medications the patient is taking,” Dr. Candy Tsourounis, professor of clinical pharmacy at the University of California, San Francisco, told Verywell Health.

The tainted products are readily available at major retailers such as Etsy, Amazon, Walmart and eBay.

Pro ArthMax — sold as a supplement for joint, muscle and arthritic pain — contains several drugs, including chlorzoxazone, a muscle relaxant that’s only available by prescription, and several NSAIDs, including ibuprofen and naproxen.

And Ginseng She Lian Wan — promoted for joint pain, arthritis and gout — contains the steroid dexamethasone and chlorpheniramine, an antihistamine.

These types of supplements “are not regulated by the FDA and, therefore, you are really at your own risk when taking them,” Dr. Lisa Young, a registered New York dietitian-nutritionist and author of “Finally Full, Finally Slim” and “The Portion Teller Plan,” told The Post.

The FDA is prevented from testing these over-the-counter products by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994, which limits the ability of the agency to regulate products marketed as supplements.

By hobbling the FDA, manufacturers are able to sell products without any evidence of their potency, safety or effectiveness. Only after consumers complain about a product can the FDA take action.

“It is clear from the results of our decade of testing that retailers and distributors, including online marketplaces, do not effectively prevent these types of potentially harmful products from being sold to consumers,” the FDA warned in a statement.

“Dietary supplements are often used in excess and little research proves that they provide benefit, unless you are deficient,” Young added.

The FDA has a list of products known to contain hidden ingredients, noting that there are many other risky products available over the counter.

“FDA cannot test all products on the market that contain potentially harmful hidden ingredients. Enforcement actions and consumer advisories for tainted products only cover a small fraction of the tainted over-the-counter products on the market,” the agency warns.

Consumers can protect themselves from potentially harmful products by avoiding those with labels that are in a language they cannot read, or any product that offers “miracle cures.”

Also, don’t use or purchase over-the-counter medicines that lack the required “Drug Facts” label, and check to make sure the manufacturer’s name, address and phone number are listed on the label.

Perhaps most important of all, talk to your healthcare provider about all products you are taking, including herbal supplements, vitamins and so-called “natural” blends.