DNP – The weight loss drug that can kill you.
The recent death of Jodi Vance, during the 2025 Arnold Classic, has shocked the bodybuilding industry.
Jodi was only 20, and her death caused a lot of controversy all over the world, with the top media and news outlets, publishing the news of Jodi’s death.
Justin Mihaly was Jodi’s coach, and he received the majority of backlash over her death, with many in the industry alleging it was his protocols that killed his client.
A few days after Jodi’s death, Justin published a video, giving a brief explanation of what Jodi was doing, and the extremes she went to, to look good.
Justin confirmed that regardless of what he and her family told her, Jodi continued to use hazardous substances that ended up killing her.
According to sources close to Evolutionofbodybuilding.net, one of the drugs that Jodi consumed was DNP.
While there is a lot of information about the dangers of DNP on the internet, sometimes the athletes need to be reminded about the dangers of certain substances.
The use of DNP combined with other substances is a recipe for death, and according to the symptoms that led to Jodi’s death, it is alleged that she most probably used DNP.
Evolutionofbodybuilding.net believes the health and well-being of every athlete should come first, and education is the best prevention to injury or even death.
DNP – The drug first used to manufacture explosives
DNP, which stands for 2,4-Dinitrophenol, is a drug that’s sold illegally as a weight-loss supplement. Online retailers who sell DNP often target bodybuilders and extreme dieters and promise miracle results.
DNP is very dangerous, and can be lethal to young and old athletes.
The origins of DNP
DNP was originally manufactured in France during the First World War to make dyes and explosives.
According to sources, in 1933, a researcher at Stanford University named Maurice Tainter discovered it could be used for weight loss.
From 1933 to 1938, it was sold over-the-counter to more than 100,000 people. However, in 1938, DNP was pulled from the market due to safety concerns as cases of poisoning, deaths, and other serious complications emerged.
The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938, a new law that established higher quality standards for drug manufacturers, labeled DNP as “extremely dangerous and not fit for human consumption.”
DNP is currently used to make: wood preservatives, dyes, explosives, and pesticides.
Unfortunately, numerous retailers still sell the drug illegally for weight loss. According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, there have been several deaths linked to the use of DNP.
Why is DNP used?
According to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), DNP is usually sold in the form of a yellow powder, but it also comes in capsules and creams.
When ingested, it acts on structures inside each of your cells called mitochondria. Your mitochondria convert calories from your food into energy, called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which your body can use.
A 2015 study showed that DNP makes energy production in your mitochondria less efficient. This means your body needs to burn more calories to produce the same amount of ATP. Energy from the extra calories is converted into heat and released from your body.
However, and this is the dangerous part, the same process that increases the number of calories you burn can easily overheat your body and lead to dangerous side effects.
Many illegal sellers specifically target bodybuilders or people on extreme diets by promising miracle weight loss. They sell DNP under a long list of different names, such as:
- Aldifen
- Chemox
- Cawell
- Dinofan
- Dinosan
- Dnoc
- DNP steroid
- Fenoxyl-
- Nitro Kleenup
- Nitrophen
- Osmotox-
- Sulfo
- Solfo Black
- Tertosulphur PRB
Why is DNP considered very dangerous?
DNP is extremely toxic and has a high potential for overdose. According to a 2016 case report, ingestion of doses as low as 10 to 20 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (4.5 to 9.1 milligrams per pound) can be fatal.
A 2018 study showed that DNP’s harmful effects are dependent on the user’s tolerance.
What’s considered safe for one person could be deadly for somebody else.
The most common cause of death from taking DNP is hyperthermia — a dangerously elevated body temperature.
DNP prevents energy being stored as fat; instead the energy is released as heat. This increases body temperature, which can damage the cells of organs such as muscle, kidney, and brain.
The result can be seizures, coma, kidney failure, muscle damage, and bone marrow failure. Once these effects have started to develop, they are very difficult to treat and death may occur despite the best possible medical treatment.
Several deaths have involved people in the bodybuilding world or those trying to lose weight. Many of these people may have been unaware of the dangers of using DNP.
There is a myth that if used in small amounts, users will be safe. This is not the case. Although toxicity is especially common after overdose, severe and even fatal adverse effects have occurred when the drug has been taken in the doses recommended on websites or by suppliers.
Hyperthermia can result in a breakdown of essential enzymes in your body. This can lead to cardiac arrest and coma. Additionally, according to a 2016 case report, hyperthermia can also lead to organ failure.
DNP can also cause several other side effects such as:
- nausea
- vomiting
- sweating
- dizziness
- headache
- elevated heart rate
Numerous case studies and news stories have been published documenting deaths from DNP.
Think twice before taking any weight loss drug
DNP is an extremely dangerous weight loss drug that can be potentially lethal even in young and healthy individuals. Many companies sell it illegally online and target bodybuilders or people looking to lose weight without dieting.
Despite what some companies and products tell you, there’s no such thing as a miracle weight loss drug. Healthy, safe, and effective weight loss requires consistent changes to your diet and exercise habits over months and years.
