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Death of young runner linked to over-use of muscle creams

Posted June 12th, 2007 at 1:01 PM by Courtney Albon

Section: News & Results, Gear & Apparel, Track & Field, Sports Medicine

The sudden death of 17-year-old Arielle Newman, a cross country runner at Notre Dame High School in Staten Island New York, has been linked to a chemical contained in common muscle creams such as Ben Gay and Icy Hot.

Doctors said that the award-winning cross country runner died from absorbing too large an amount of methyl salicylate, an anti-inflammatory found in muscles creams that many athletes use to reduce pain before and after an event.

The medical examiner claimed that the level of Methyl salicylate found in Newman’s body at the time of death was six times the safe amount. Because Newman was running, her body absorbed the chemical at a faster rate.

“When someone’s exercising their metabolic and their exertion rate is significantly increased,” said sports medicine expert, Steven Weinfield.

The symptoms of overuse-fast heart rate, difficulty breathing, ringing in the ears-are so similar to those experienced by runners on a regular basis that it is difficult to detect a problem.

If used on at least 40 percent of the body, the topical cream can be dangerous, according to Thomas Kearney, director of a poison control center and professor of pharmacy and the University of California at San Fransisco.

Newman’s mother, Alice Newman, is skeptical about the claim that her daughter was using dangerous amounts of cream, believing the amount to be similar to that of the other runners on the team.

It is possible, said Weinfield, that the use of an oral medication combined with the muscle cream could have had toxic effects. Oral medications such as aspirin also contain salycilic acid.

Newman’s mother is not aware that her daughter was taking any oral medication, but did report that her daughter was having difficulty recovering after races and was consulting a doctor.

Newman’s was the first death linked to a topical cream that has ever been reported in the city. Examiners were shocked by the girl’s death and the manufacturer of Bengay, Johnson & Johnson, maintain that the ointment is safe is used as directed. According to a spokesman, the company is reviewing records to see if any previous fatalities have been reported.

Research sources: [CBS News], [Washington Post - 1], [Washington Post - 2]