Muscle cream caused NYC teen's death

[x635 4,066]

Interesting.

Muscle cream caused NYC teen's death

Sat Jun 9, 8:27 AM ET

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."

[nycemt728 49]

Wow, that's sad, and totally unprecedented. I ran track for four years (never used it though) and now work at track meets; I wonder if this is going to change years of entrenced dogma about Icy Hot and the like; I know plenty of runners who refuse to run, even in practice w/o applying a good amount. Has anyone encountered any problems with this? I am very curious to see any subsequent studies and response from the companies.

[Guest]

i have used it for years after bicycle riding, and i also played soccer for 4 years. never any bad affects. wow, i really fell bad for her mother.

[Guest partyrock]

As a topical ointment methyl salicylate was as safe as safe can be. No side effects. No overdose risk. Its long been known to be extremely toxic if ingested (even though its used as a food additive). There are several instances of children being poisioned after ingestion. I'd be curious to see how much of this stuff she was using, I bet it was abit over the top.

[Guest]

This'll take the fun out of putting it in jock straps in the locker room.

[Oswegowind 17]

I read this article the other day and the only question I have is where were this girls parents???? I mean, once again, did they have no common sense? Sorry, that she passed away, another young life gone for really no reason, but these people sound as if they may file a lawsuit...Who's fault is it really?!