WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is urgently warning not to purchase or use supplements that contain tianeptine, a substance that's been nicknamed "gas station heroin."
The products, sold under the brand name Neptune's Fix, can interact with other medications in a potentially lethal way, the federal health agency has repeatedly warned.
The FDA, which first warned about Neptune's Fix in November, said this week it continues to receive reports of people suffering seizures, loss of consciousness and even death, after using these products.
A voluntary recall has since been issued for all Neptune’s Fix Elixir, Neptune’s Fix Extra Strength Elixir and Neptune’s Fix Tablets. The products, like most items containing tianeptine, were sold online and at gas stations, vape or smoke shops, or other locations.
What is tianeptine?
Tianeptine is not approved in the U.S., although other countries have approved the drug to treat depression and anxiety. It has been illegally sold in the U.S. with claims to improve brain function and treat anxiety, depression, pain, opioid use disorder and other conditions.
It got the nickname "gas station heroin" or "gas station dope" because of its availability at gas stations and because it mimics the effects of opioids when taken in high doses, according to a 2023 review in "Pain and Therapy."
The side effects of tianeptine abuse and withdrawal can mimic opioid toxicity, a 2018 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.
According to the FDA, poison control center cases involving tianeptine exposure have increased nationwide, from 11 total between 2000 and 2013 to 151 cases in just 2020.
Anyone who experiences a bad reaction to any tianeptine product should immediately seek medical help. You can call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 to connect to a local poison center.