Next Proteins Lawsuit
Long before BSN???s NO XPLODE or Superpump 250 hit the market, the leading pre-workout powder was called ???Ultimate Orange??? which was made by Next Proteins with the help of the ???steroid guru??? Dan Duchaine (pictured above). The now deceased Dan Duchaine supposedly formulated the product back in 1981 with a basic blend of protein, carbs and fats for his clients in Venice Beach. The product developed a cult-like following and was a huge success (even the Supplement Genius used Ultimate Orange back in high school). Next Proteins later came out with a gel cap version of the product called ???Ultimate Orange PowerCaps??? that never really seemed to take off, a fruit punch version of the power called ???Ultimate Punch??? and they even had an RTD version of Ultimate Orange.
NCAA Football Player Collapses
Back in 2001, a student named Rashidi Wheeler allegedly took a supplement made by Next Proteins which contained Ephedra. He later collapsed and died on a school practice field. According to some reports, the supplement he consumed may have been Ultimate Orange. Other reports indicated that it may have been their brand extension ???Ultimate Punch??? or their Ultimate Orange gel capsules. Which one it was for sure is anyone???s guess. Rashidi was one of about a dozen Wildcats who took supplements the NCAA had banned. It???s also important to note that Rashidi was asthmatic which would affect the way his body responds to ephedra of course.
Family Sues School
Wheeler???s family sued Northwestern and its athletic staff, claiming the school was responsible for his death. The university has insisted all along that the ephedrine-containing supplements made and distributed by California-based Next Proteins caused an irregular heartbeat that killed Wheeler, even though the county???s medical examiner ruled Wheeler died from a ???classic case of exercise-induced asthma.??? The case, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, alleges negligence by Next Proteins.
Insurance Company Sues Next Proteins
United Educators Insurance Risk Retention Group Inc. is seeking to recover from supplement maker Next Proteins Inc. a chunk of the $16 million the university agreed to give to Wheeler???s family to settle its wrongful death suit. The new case means the eight-year legal odyssey over Wheeler???s death continues. The case could reopen old wounds, including allegations that the university engaged in a cover-up when one of its doctors burned Wheeler???s medical records. And it could bring about the public testimony of numerous former Northwestern football players.
