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Claire Squires inquest: DMAA was factor in marathon runner's death | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A now-banned drug was a factor in the death of a runner who collapsed near the end of the London Marathon, a coroner has ruled. | |
Claire Squires, 30, of Leicestershire, died on the final stretch of the 26.2-mile course in April last year. | Claire Squires, 30, of Leicestershire, died on the final stretch of the 26.2-mile course in April last year. |
The inquest heard the drug DMAA, found in some nutrition supplements and then unbanned, was found in her system. | |
The coroner said she died of cardiac failure caused by extreme exertion, complicated by DMAA toxicity. | |
Dr Philip Barlow recorded a narrative verdict at the hearing at Southwark Coroners' Court. | |
Miss Squires, a hairdresser from North Kilworth, aimed to raise £500 for the Samaritans, but her death led to donations totalling more than £1m. | |
'Bit like caffeine' | |
DMAA (1,3-dimethylamine) was being sold in the UK at the time in some pre-workout and "fat-burning" shake drinks. | DMAA (1,3-dimethylamine) was being sold in the UK at the time in some pre-workout and "fat-burning" shake drinks. |
In August last year, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency ruled DMAA was an unlicensed medicinal product. | In August last year, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency ruled DMAA was an unlicensed medicinal product. |
It said all products containing DMAA needed to be removed from the UK market due to concerns about potential risks to public safety. | It said all products containing DMAA needed to be removed from the UK market due to concerns about potential risks to public safety. |
Miss Squires' boyfriend Simon van Herrewege said she had put a scoop of sports supplement Jack3D, containing DMAA, into her water bottle before setting off on the race. | Miss Squires' boyfriend Simon van Herrewege said she had put a scoop of sports supplement Jack3D, containing DMAA, into her water bottle before setting off on the race. |
Products containing DMAA were not banned in the UK at the time. | Products containing DMAA were not banned in the UK at the time. |
Miss Squires had run the London Marathon two years before and wanted to beat four hours for the race. | |
She had also completed the Great North Run and the Belfast Marathon. | |
Mr van Herrewege told the inquest: "Claire ended up getting a tub of this supplement Jack3D to give you a bit of an energy boost. It is a bit like caffeine. | Mr van Herrewege told the inquest: "Claire ended up getting a tub of this supplement Jack3D to give you a bit of an energy boost. It is a bit like caffeine. |
"Claire never really got on with it. She never really liked it. | "Claire never really got on with it. She never really liked it. |
"She said she would take one scoop in her water bottle. | "She said she would take one scoop in her water bottle. |
Mother volunteered | |
"She said that if 'I hit a bit of [a] wall I will take it'." | "She said that if 'I hit a bit of [a] wall I will take it'." |
DMAA has been banned by the US Army following the deaths of soldiers who had taken it. | |
Andrew Kicman, of the drug control centre at King's College London, said: "It is not illegal to take it but if you are doing competitive sport it may be against the rules of the sporting association. | |
"There would be no reason for a runner in the London Marathon not to take it provided they are not an elite runner." | |
He said the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDAA) was "so concerned" that they wrote to a number of suppliers and asked for DMAA to be withdrawn. | |
The hearing was told Jack3D is still being sold on Amazon but DMAA has been removed as an ingredient. | |
Miss Squires chose to raise money for the Samaritans partly because her mother had volunteered for the charity for 24 years. | |
Her death led to a public outpouring of support for the organisation. | Her death led to a public outpouring of support for the organisation. |
It has worked with her mother Cilla Squires to develop The Claire Squires Fund - a programme of projects to reflect how she would have wanted the money to be used. | It has worked with her mother Cilla Squires to develop The Claire Squires Fund - a programme of projects to reflect how she would have wanted the money to be used. |