Muscle Cream Caused NYC Teens Death

Prada's Meadow · Jun 9th, 2007, 12:40 PM

Sat Jun 9

NEW YORK - A medical examiner blamed a 17-year-old track star's death on the use of too much muscle cream, the kind used to soothe aching legs after exercise.

Arielle Newman, a cross-country runner at Notre Dame Academy on Staten Island, died after her body absorbed high levels of methyl salicylate, an anti-inflammatory found in sports creams such as Bengay and Icy Hot, the New York City medical examiner said Friday.
The medical examiner's spokeswoman, Ellen Borakove, said the teen used "topical medication to excess." She said it was the first time that her office had reported a death from using a sports cream.
Newman, who garnered numerous track awards, died April 13. She had gone to a party the night before, then returned home and spent hours talking with her mother.

Methyl salicylate poisoning is unusual, and deaths from high levels of the chemical are rare.
"Chronic use is more dangerous than one-time use," Edward Arsura, chairman of medicine at Richmond University Medical Center, told the Staten Island Advance on Friday. "Exercise and heat can accentuate absorption."

Dr. Ronald Grelsamer, of Mount Sinai Medical Center, said Newman had a very abnormal amount of methyl salicylate in her body.
"She either lathered herself with it, or used way too much, or she used a normal amount and an abnormal percentage was absorbed into her body," he said.
Her mother, Alice Newman, said she still couldn't believe her daughter's death was caused by a sports cream.
"I am scrupulous about my children's health," she told the Advance. "I did not think an over-the-counter product could be unsafe."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070609/...7zpgaS8XEH1vAI

wordbox · Jun 9th, 2007, 01:18 PM

Wow... how sad! No one would expect something like that to happen.

juicy couture jen · Jun 9th, 2007, 01:58 PM

Wow from IcyHot?! I have been using a lot lately since I keep getting these horrible leg cramps every night while sleeping. I wonder if Gold Bond Extra Strength Medicated Itch Lotion goes under the category of Methyl salicylate? Is it different from Menthol? Oh, it also contains a small amount of methyl salicylate... hm.. wonder if i should keep using it every night?

boxermom · Jun 9th, 2007, 07:30 PM

I read about this and it's hard to imagine someone could die from too much topical cream. So often I just skim the precautions/warnings printed on the box, but they are there for a reason.

Her family must be in shock over this.

Danica · Jun 9th, 2007, 08:33 PM

That is really sad

Prada's Meadow · Jun 9th, 2007, 08:54 PM

This is sad and scary.

ArmCandyLuvr · Jun 9th, 2007, 10:41 PM

That's scary. I admit to using Ben Gay quite a bit when I get aches and pains. Maybe I should cut back...

Rockst@r · Jun 9th, 2007, 10:55 PM

How awful and sad. This confirms my position in that I use very few topical/oral medications. Using anything to excess can have dire consequences.

alvie223 · Jun 10th, 2007, 01:14 AM

This actually happened where I am from. Not to sound obnoxious but I'm really glad that altough this was a terrible tragedy I am glad it is getting national coverage. Especially because intially after her death it was thought to bea result of her attending a party and therefore it was an alcohol related death.

vbskull · Jun 10th, 2007, 06:44 AM

This is so sad. I have never heard of anything like this before. I will remember this when I have achy muscle not to overdue on the sports cream. I am glad this is getting coverage to, I would have never known this was possible.

yasjencon2 · Jun 10th, 2007, 07:41 PM

weird....

BagAngel · Jun 10th, 2007, 09:01 PM

Really sad & scary!
No wonder I tell my daughter stop using fake tan all of the time! we just don't know what harmful ingredients are in creams & they are all absorbed into system.
Not to go off topic but I think worth mentioning Parabens are found in most cosmetics & they have been found to be present in a high percentage of malignant breast tumours!

Rosenpetals · Jun 11th, 2007, 04:21 AM

Every chemical we put on our skin is readily absorbed into our body. Those pretty smelling body lotions and perfumes contain stuff we would never ingest (look at the ingrediant list) but in a way, that's exactly what we are doing by applying them.

Bag Angel is right..these chemicals we put on our skin have been found in breast tumors.

So sad. It's def. a wake-up call.

Here's a website that rates cosmetics by safety, you should check the brands you use & see how they rate:

http://www.safecosmetics.org/your_health/skindeep.cfm

bonniec · Jun 11th, 2007, 10:13 PM

This is so sad. We commonly assume that over-the-counter medications are harmless, but they really aren't.

On a similar note, my best friend from HS's college roommate took "vitamins" from her personal trainer. They were to help her lose weight. Well, she developed a tolerance to it, took more than the recommended dose (LOTS more), developed liver failure, and died at the age of 22 years old. Months before graduation, had already been accepted to law school. It was very tragic, for me to even hear from the outside.

Be careful and consult your doctor if you plan to exceed any listed recommended dosage.

Jun 9th, 2007, 12:40 PM	#1
Prada's Meadow Global Moderator Location: New York New York	Muscle Cream Caused NYC Teens Death Sat Jun 9 NEW YORK - A medical examiner blamed a 17-year-old track star's death on the use of too much muscle cream, the kind used to soothe aching legs after exercise. Arielle Newman, a cross-country runner at Notre Dame Academy on Staten Island, died after her body absorbed high levels of methyl salicylate, an anti-inflammatory found in sports creams such as Bengay and Icy Hot, the New York City medical examiner said Friday. The medical examiner's spokeswoman, Ellen Borakove, said the teen used "topical medication to excess." She said it was the first time that her office had reported a death from using a sports cream. Newman, who garnered numerous track awards, died April 13. She had gone to a party the night before, then returned home and spent hours talking with her mother. Methyl salicylate poisoning is unusual, and deaths from high levels of the chemical are rare. "Chronic use is more dangerous than one-time use," Edward Arsura, chairman of medicine at Richmond University Medical Center, told the Staten Island Advance on Friday. "Exercise and heat can accentuate absorption." Dr. Ronald Grelsamer, of Mount Sinai Medical Center, said Newman had a very abnormal amount of methyl salicylate in her body. "She either lathered herself with it, or used way too much, or she used a normal amount and an abnormal percentage was absorbed into her body," he said. Her mother, Alice Newman, said she still couldn't believe her daughter's death was caused by a sports cream. "I am scrupulous about my children's health," she told the Advance. "I did not think an over-the-counter product could be unsafe." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070609/...7zpgaS8XEH1vAI __________________

Jun 9th, 2007, 01:18 PM	#2
wordbox spay, neuter, adopt! Location: The North Pole	Re: Muscle Cream Caused NYC Teens Death Wow... how sad! No one would expect something like that to happen. __________________

Jun 9th, 2007, 01:58 PM	#3
juicy couture jen Sale Hunter Location: Massachusetts, USA	Re: Muscle Cream Caused NYC Teens Death Wow from IcyHot?! I have been using a lot lately since I keep getting these horrible leg cramps every night while sleeping. I wonder if Gold Bond Extra Strength Medicated Itch Lotion goes under the category of Methyl salicylate? Is it different from Menthol? Oh, it also contains a small amount of methyl salicylate... hm.. wonder if i should keep using it every night? __________________ Last edited by juicy couture jen; Jun 9th, 2007 at 02:01 PM.

Jun 9th, 2007, 07:30 PM	#4
boxermom Member Location: North Carolina	Re: Muscle Cream Caused NYC Teens Death I read about this and it's hard to imagine someone could die from too much topical cream. So often I just skim the precautions/warnings printed on the box, but they are there for a reason. Her family must be in shock over this.

Jun 9th, 2007, 08:33 PM	#5
Danica Mijn boter boontje Location: TN	Re: Muscle Cream Caused NYC Teens Death That is really sad __________________ Cheerleader for love

Jun 9th, 2007, 08:54 PM	#6
Prada's Meadow Global Moderator Location: New York New York	Re: Muscle Cream Caused NYC Teens Death This is sad and scary. __________________

Jun 9th, 2007, 10:41 PM	#7
ArmCandyLuvr Loves Boys X Boys! Location: WI, USA	Re: Muscle Cream Caused NYC Teens Death That's scary. I admit to using Ben Gay quite a bit when I get aches and pains. Maybe I should cut back... __________________ I reached my goal of losing 225 pounds! Thank you, tPF! Thank you, Richard! My Wishlist: [ ] Dior Holiday 2008 Palette [ ] Chanel Exclusive Nail Color Trio [X] Louis Vuitton Inclusion Ring in Pomme D'Amour-Got it! Thank you, DBF! [X] Coach 3x5 Leather Agenda in Gold-Got it! DBF strikes again! [ ] David Yurman 5 MM Cable Bangle in Blue Topaz [ ] David Yurman 5 MM Cable Bangle in Peridot [ ] MacBook Air Can't seem to stay on my shopping ban!

Jun 9th, 2007, 10:55 PM	#8
Rockst@r Zeta lady 4ever Location: Philadelphia	Re: Muscle Cream Caused NYC Teens Death How awful and sad. This confirms my position in that I use very few topical/oral medications. Using anything to excess can have dire consequences. __________________ My 5yr old diva! It's a boy! Born 10/10 at 10:10pm.

Jun 10th, 2007, 01:14 AM	#9
alvie223 Member	Re: Muscle Cream Caused NYC Teens Death This actually happened where I am from. Not to sound obnoxious but I'm really glad that altough this was a terrible tragedy I am glad it is getting national coverage. Especially because intially after her death it was thought to bea result of her attending a party and therefore it was an alcohol related death. __________________

Jun 10th, 2007, 06:44 AM	#10
vbskull Window Shopper Location: England	Re: Muscle Cream Caused NYC Teens Death This is so sad. I have never heard of anything like this before. I will remember this when I have achy muscle not to overdue on the sports cream. I am glad this is getting coverage to, I would have never known this was possible. __________________ I LOVE MY BBAGS !!! Current Collection: 04 Black First 06 Emerald First 07 Black City LV Mono Speedy 25

Jun 10th, 2007, 07:41 PM	#11
yasjencon2 Member	Re: Muscle Cream Caused NYC Teens Death weird....

Jun 10th, 2007, 09:01 PM	#12
BagAngel LV Moderator Location: UK	Re: Muscle Cream Caused NYC Teens Death Really sad & scary! No wonder I tell my daughter stop using fake tan all of the time! we just don't know what harmful ingredients are in creams & they are all absorbed into system. Not to go off topic but I think worth mentioning Parabens are found in most cosmetics & they have been found to be present in a high percentage of malignant breast tumours!

Jun 11th, 2007, 04:21 AM	#13
Rosenpetals Member Location: Northern California	Re: Muscle Cream Caused NYC Teens Death Every chemical we put on our skin is readily absorbed into our body. Those pretty smelling body lotions and perfumes contain stuff we would never ingest (look at the ingrediant list) but in a way, that's exactly what we are doing by applying them. Bag Angel is right..these chemicals we put on our skin have been found in breast tumors. So sad. It's def. a wake-up call. Here's a website that rates cosmetics by safety, you should check the brands you use & see how they rate: http://www.safecosmetics.org/your_health/skindeep.cfm Last edited by Rosenpetals; Jun 11th, 2007 at 04:27 AM. Reason: added link

Jun 11th, 2007, 10:13 PM	#14
bonniec Neurotic SAHM by day	Re: Muscle Cream Caused NYC Teens Death This is so sad. We commonly assume that over-the-counter medications are harmless, but they really aren't. On a similar note, my best friend from HS's college roommate took "vitamins" from her personal trainer. They were to help her lose weight. Well, she developed a tolerance to it, took more than the recommended dose (LOTS more), developed liver failure, and died at the age of 22 years old. Months before graduation, had already been accepted to law school. It was very tragic, for me to even hear from the outside. Be careful and consult your doctor if you plan to exceed any listed recommended dosage.