A 17-year-old US athlete died after an overdosing on a common muscle-rub, medical examiners have announced.

Such over-the-counter creams are rubbed into the skin to relieve muscle ache after exercise. They contain an anti-inflammatory ingredient called methyl salicylate – also known as oil of wintergreen – which is toxic if consumed, leading to breathing difficulties and collapse.

It is the most toxic compound of its class – doses of less than 1 teaspoonful have been deadly in small children.

A spokeswoman for the medical examiners reportedly said that the young woman used this “topical medication to excess”.


The body of the teenage track star, Arielle Newman, who died in April 2007, contained high levels of methyl salicylate – apparently, six times higher than the amount deemed safe. In addition to using too much muscle cream, she may also have absorbed an unusually high amount of methyl salicylate from the product. Heat and exercise reportedly increase the rate at which the chemical enters the body.

“Read the label”

Anthony Dickenson, a pharmacologist at the University College London, UK, explains that methyl salicylate, like aspirin, relieves pain by interfering with molecules called prostaglandins. He says that too much interference with prostaglandins and similar molecules could, for example, lead to dangerous convulsions and nervous-system problems.

In rare cases, methyl salicylate can over-stimulate brain regions that control breathing, causing hyperventilation with dangerous consequences. Dickenson adds that sensitivity to these drugs likely varies from person to person: “There are individuals that could just be super-sensitive to the compound due to their genes.”

Experts stress that standard use of muscle creams should not pose a health threat. Over-the-counter sports creams in the US that contain methyl salicylate include Bengay, Icy Hot and Radian B.

Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson, which makes Bengay, has told consumers that they should bear in mind “the importance of reading the label on this and all over-the-counter medicines to ensure safe and proper use”.