This page describes pharmacological agents that may have legal restrictions, side effects, and drug interactions in your jurisdiction. Information is for educational research only — consult a clinician before considering any compound.

High-risk compound

Surface here is educational only; do not use without medical supervision. Our editorial verdict is SKIP-FOR-NOW — current cost / risk / redundancy puts it below the line.

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DMHA

Limited Research

2-aminoisoheptane / octodrine / 1,5-dimethylhexylamine — aliphatic amine sympathomimetic stimulant; positioned by manufacturers as a 'DMAA replacement' after DMAA was banned 2013; FDA declared 'not a dietary ingredient' April 2019; WADA S6 in-competition ban; SKIP-FOR-NOW for this archetype.

Aliases (9)

2-aminoisoheptane · octodrine · 1 · 5-dimethylhexylamine · 2-amino-6-methylheptane · 2-aminoheptane (loose / inaccurate community shorthand for the closely related but DIFFERENT compound) · DMAA replacement · Vaporpac (1950s nasal vasoconstrictor brand) · 2-AIH

TYPICAL DOSE

50-200 mg per serving (pre-workout label dose, …

50-200 mg per serving (community pre-workout label dose, 2014-2019 era; NOT recommended)

ROUTE

Oral (capsule, powder, pre-workout drink mix)

Oral (capsule, powder, pre-workout drink mix); 1950s octodrine medical use was inhaled / topical nasal vasoconstrictor (Vaporpac, abandoned)

CYCLE

N/A — not indicated; community pre-workout prot…

N/A — not indicated; community pattern was 'training days only'

STORAGE

Room temp; original container; protect from lig…

Room temp; protect from light + moisture

Overview

What is DMHA?

DMHA (2-aminoisoheptane, octodrine, 1,5-dimethylhexylamine) is an aliphatic primary amine sympathomimetic stimulant in the same general class as DMAA (1,3-dimethylamylamine). It surfaced in pre-workout supplements ~2014 as a 'DMAA replacement' after DMAA was banned in dietary supplements in 2013. Its only historical medical use was as octodrine in the 1950s nasal vasoconstrictor brand 'Vaporpac' — abandoned by the 1960s in favor of better-characterized agents (xylometazoline, oxymetazoline, pseudoephedrine) and never re-authorized. NOT FDA-approved as a drug. NOT a 'dietary ingredient' under DSHEA — FDA declared in April 2019 enforcement that DMHA cannot legally be sold in US dietary supplements; this is an FDA enforcement issue, NOT DEA scheduling (DMHA is not a controlled substance under the CSA). SARMs Control Act 2014 + DASCA did NOT directly affect DMHA — it is not a steroid or SARM. WADA-prohibited under S6 (Stimulants — banned in-competition only); detected by standard stimulant urine screens analogous to DMAA / methylhexanamine handling.

Key Benefits

Subjective stimulant effects reported during the 2014-2019 supplement-era window — energy, alertness, focus, appetite suppression, mild euphoria at higher doses; phenomenology comparable to ephedrine + caffeine combinations or 'smoother / longer-lasting' DMAA. NO medical indication for systemic stimulant use. NO RCT-validated benefit for cognitive performance, ergogenic effect, fat loss, or any other indication. The ONLY validated historical medical use was 1950s topical nasal vasoconstrictor (Vaporpac, abandoned). For this user's archetype (20yo MMA athlete + business owner): cleaner stimulants (caffeine + theanine, paraxanthine, modafinil, bromantane, phenylpiracetam) strictly dominate every realistic use case on safety, evidence, regulatory clarity, and supply-chain reliability.

Mechanism of Action

Presumed sympathomimetic norepinephrine + dopamine releaser / weak monoamine reuptake inhibitor — mechanism extrapolated from DMAA (which has been characterized in vitro and in animal models as a NE/DA releasing agent and weak reuptake inhibitor) and from the aliphatic-amine sympathomimetic class generally. No published modern receptor-binding study, no microdialysis study, and no rigorous human PK study have been performed specifically on DMHA in the open peer-reviewed literature. Likely also produces alpha-1 / beta-1 adrenergic activation peripherally — basis of the BP / HR / vasoconstrictor effect signal and consistent with the original 1950s octodrine indication as a nasal vasoconstrictor decongestant. Half-life ~5-6 hours (vendor / community-sourced; not from a rigorous modern human PK study). Cardiovascular hazard signal (BP elevation, HR, palpitations, isolated event reports) documented by Cohen et al. 2019 (J Med Toxicol class context), class-equivalent to the DMAA hazard pattern that drove the 2013 ban.

Pharmacokinetics

PeakHalf-life

Approximate curve — visual aid only, not data-precise PK

Research Indications

Most Effective

Presumed mechanism (extrapolated from DMAA + class)

DMHA is 2-amino-6-methylheptane (also called 2-aminoisoheptane or octodrine) — a 7-carbon aliphatic primary amine structurally adjacent t…

Effective

What DMHA is NOT doing

- Not selective at any single receptor; the pharmacology is "broad sympathomimetic" rather than targeted - Not an "actoprotector" or DA-s…

Investigational

Pharmacokinetics (poorly characterized)

- Oral bioavailability: Not characterized in published modern PK - T-max: Not characterized; community / vendor sources cite 30-90 min - …

Research Protocols

Disclaimer: These are commonly discussed research protocols and not medical advice.

Goal

Dose

Frequency

Solo Use

Cycle

Goal:Do NOT use DMHA as a pre-workout stimulant

Dose:—

Frequency:—

Solo:—

Cycle:—

Goal:Do NOT use DMHA in combat sport training cycles

Dose:—

Frequency:—

Solo:—

Cycle:—

Goal:Do NOT assume retail label dose is accurate

Dose:—

Frequency:—

Solo:—

Cycle:—

Goal:Do NOT use within 6 weeks of any sanctioned drug-tested competition

Dose:—

Frequency:—

Solo:—

Cycle:—

Peptide Interactions

None recommended

Synergistic

for this user. The pre-workout supplement context (2014-2019) typically combined DMHA with caffeine + beta-alanine + citrulline + tyrosine, but this combinat…

Caffeine high-dose (>200 mg)

Avoid

additive sympathomimetic load; the canonical pre-workout pattern is exactly what made DMAA / DMHA cardiovascular events more common in 2010s case reports

Other stimulants (amphetamine, methylphenidate, modafinil at high dose, ephedrine, synephrine, yohimbine)

Avoid

cumulative sympathetic load

MAOIs (non-selective: tranylcypromine, phenelzine, isocarboxazid)

Avoid

hypertensive crisis risk; theoretical but mechanistically clear

Selegiline at higher doses (>10 mg, where MAO-A selectivity is lost)

Avoid

same hypertensive crisis logic

TCAs (amitriptyline, nortriptyline, imipramine, others)

Avoid

additive cardiovascular load + theoretical MAO interaction concern

SNRIs (venlafaxine, duloxetine)

Avoid

additive NE / sympathetic effects

Bupropion

Avoid

additive NE/DA reuptake inhibition

Yohimbine

Avoid

additive sympathomimetic load; both alpha-2 / alpha-1 effects

Synephrine (bitter orange)

Avoid

additive class-effect sympathomimetic; common in "DMAA replacement"-era pre-workouts

Pre-existing cardiovascular medications

Avoid

(beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, diuretics) — DMHA opposes anti-hypertensive mechanisms; mechanism conflict

Heavy alcohol use

Avoid

hepatic burden + cardiovascular variability; no safe combination

Quality Indicators

FDA-banned in dietary supplements (April 2019 enforcement)

FDA declared DMHA 'not a dietary ingredient' under DSHEA. Products containing DMHA are subject to FDA enforcement under the FD&C Act. Buying or possessing DMHA is not personally illegal (it is not DEA-scheduled), but the regulated supply chain is degraded and any supplement containing it is non-compliant.

Label accuracy is poor (Cohen 2018)

Cohen et al. 2018 detected DMHA in retail pre-workouts at 73-271 mg per scoop with >3x inter-product variance. Without independent third-party assay, the actual dose received cannot be verified.

Cardiovascular hazard signal documented (Cohen 2019)

Cohen et al. 2019 (J Med Toxicol class context) reviewed BP elevation, HR, palpitations, and isolated cardiovascular event case reports in DMHA-containing supplements. Class-equivalent to the DMAA hazard pattern that drove the 2013 ban.

✗

WADA S6 stimulant — banned in-competition

Detected by standard WADA stimulant urine screens (analogous to DMAA / methylhexanamine handling). A single in-competition positive ends careers for tested athletes.

✗

Gray-market sourcing post-2019

Post-FDA enforcement, mainstream US retail availability collapsed. Remaining product is gray-market / international / RUO-labeled with no FDA oversight of identity, potency, or contamination.

✗

Suspiciously cheap product or 'DMAA-replacement' marketing

Designer-supplement category (DMAA → DMHA → 1,3-DMBA → AMP citrate progression) has had repeated documented QC failures, undisclosed ingredients, and mislabeling. Products marketed as 'DMAA replacement' should be assumed compromised on label accuracy until independently assayed.

What to Expect

Week 1
Tolerability and dose-response.
Week 2-4
Early effect window.
Week 4-8
Peak benefit assessment.
Week 8+
Cycle decision point.

Side Effects & Safety 9

Side Effects

1Cardiovascular: elevated heart rate, elevated blood pressure, palpitations — most-reported side-effect cluster
2CNS: anxiety / wired feeling, jitteriness at higher doses, headache, irritability
3Sleep disruption: if dosed late in day (5-6 hour half-life means an afternoon dose can disturb sleep onset)
4GI: mild appetite suppression (typical sympathomimetic effect), occasional nausea
5Vasoconstriction: cool extremities, mild pallor
6Significant blood pressure elevation (>20 mmHg systolic) — dose-dependent, more common at higher doses or in stim-naive users
7Tachycardia (>110 bpm at rest) — dose-dependent
8Anxiety attacks / panic-like episodes — in trait-anxious users or at high doses
9Tremor / muscle twitching

When to Stop

Cardiovascular events: Cohen 2019 documented isolated cardiovascular event case reports in the DMHA literature; the class extrapolation from DMAA case-series (Lisi 2011, Eliason 2012 military death, others) suggests DMHA carries a comparable but less-quantified hazard signal. The 2012 US Army death attributed to DMAA-containing pre-workout products is the canonical "stim-heavy supplement death" reference and the precipitating event for FDA enforcement against DMAA — DMHA inherits this regulatory shadow by structural and pharmacological similarity.
Hypertensive crisis — theoretical, especially in combination with MAOIs, other sympathomimetics, or cardiovascular comorbidity
Stroke / MI — case reports in the DMAA literature; DMHA-specific data is thinner but the class-level concern is real
Hepatic injury — supplement-category contamination + adulterant risk adds hepatic burden risk beyond pharmacology; LFTs warranted if used (which they shouldn't be)
Adulterant / mislabeling risk: Cohen 2018 documented retail dose variance 73-271 mg per scoop — dosing precision is essentially unavailable
First exposure: Watch for BP / HR response — most common cluster of complaints
Within 4 hours: Peak effect window; CV signal most evident
6-10 hours post-dose: Crash / rebound fatigue
Sleep window: if AM-dosed, sleep usually preserved; if afternoon-dosed, sleep is reliably degraded
Repeated use: No characterized chronic-use safety data — presumed analogous to DMAA / ephedrine class concerns (CV remodeling at chronic exposure)
MMA training load: repeated high-sympathetic-load training + weight-cut stress + DMHA sympathomimetic load = compounding CV burden, degraded HRV interpretation, potential interference with recovery
Daily cognitive workload (business + training): rebound fatigue + sleep disruption directly opposes the goal of optimized cognitive performance
Brain priority + cardiovascular priority: for a 20-year-old whose priority is multi-decade cognitive arc + cardiovascular health, additional sympathomimetic load with poorly characterized CV consequences is a bad trade
Tested-athlete trajectory: the moment any sanctioned competition enters the roadmap, DMHA becomes career-ending
Net: zero indication, multiple potential harms, gray-market QC, FDA-banned in supplements — clear SKIP-FOR-NOW

References

Cohen PA, Travis JC, Keizers PHJ, et al. 2018 — Four experimental stimulants found in sports and weight loss supplements: 2-amino-6-methylheptane (octodrine), 1,4-dimethylamylamine (1,4-DMAA), 1,3-dimethylamylamine (1,3-DMAA) and 1,3-dimethylbutylamine (1,3-DMBA) (Clin Toxicol)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · 2018

analytical detection of DMHA + class-related amines in retail supplements, dose quantification 73-271 mg/scoop with high variance

DMHA

Overview

What is DMHA?

Key Benefits

Mechanism of Action

Pharmacokinetics

Research Indications

Presumed mechanism (extrapolated from DMAA + class)

What DMHA is NOT doing

Pharmacokinetics (poorly characterized)

Research Protocols

Peptide Interactions

Quality Indicators

FDA-banned in dietary supplements (April 2019 enforcement)

Label accuracy is poor (Cohen 2018)

Cardiovascular hazard signal documented (Cohen 2019)

WADA S6 stimulant — banned in-competition

Gray-market sourcing post-2019

Suspiciously cheap product or 'DMAA-replacement' marketing

What to Expect

Side Effects & Safety 9

Side Effects

When to Stop

References

Cohen PA, Travis JC, Keizers PHJ, et al. 2018 — Four experimental stimulants found in sports and weight loss supplements: 2-amino-6-methylheptane (octodrine), 1,4-dimethylamylamine (1,4-DMAA), 1,3-dimethylamylamine (1,3-DMAA) and 1,3-dimethylbutylamine (1,3-DMBA) (Clin Toxicol)

Cohen PA, Travis JC, Vanhee C, Ohana D, Venhuis BJ. 2019 — Hazardous amphetamine-like stimulants in dietary supplements (J Med Toxicol class context)

FDA — Dietary Supplements Containing DMHA (Octodrine) Warning Letters Archive (April 2019 enforcement campaign)

FDA — Statement on Dietary Supplement Stimulant DMHA (Pieter Cohen-influenced regulatory action)

Octodrine — PubChem CID 7018

DMAA / Methylhexanamine — FDA enforcement archive

Eliason MJ, Eichner A, Cancio A, et al. 2012 — Case reports — DMAA-containing pre-workout products and military death (military medicine literature)

Lisi A, Hasick N, Kazlauskas R, Goebel C. 2011 — Studies on the metabolism and detection of methylhexaneamine, a doping agent (Drug Test Anal)

WADA 2026 Prohibited List — S6 Stimulants

USADA — Stimulants Prohibited List

Operation Supplement Safety (OPSS, DoD) — DMHA / Octodrine guidance

Bloomer RJ et al. 2011-2014 — DMAA cardiovascular and metabolic studies (multiple publications)

DMAA research file (this knowledge base, 1-3-dmaa.md)

Caffeine research file (this knowledge base, caffeine.md)

Paraxanthine research file (this knowledge base, paraxanthine.md)

Phenylpiracetam research file (this knowledge base, phenylpiracetam.md)

Bromantane research file (this knowledge base, bromantane.md)

Pieter Cohen / Cambridge Health Alliance — Designer Supplement Research Group publications archive

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