The death of a 28-year-old woman in Don Benito (Extremadura) was likely caused by an overdose of dietary tablets used in fitness training.

Teresa C. P, who was a nurse by profession, had obtained these supplementary pills on the Internet in order to help with her fitness training.

It appears that the victim had taken these tablets containing alpha lipoic acid, which is not dangerous in itself, but in a higher dosage than was recommended, in error.

Teresa, who was planning to get married next February, had taken the pills shortly before going out for a jog with her fiancé. Not far into the run she began to feel ill so they cut it short and went to the area hospital.

She was hospitalised immediately as she had already fallen into a coma. However, the doctors were not able to do anything to save her life and she died early the next morning, on the 19th of July.

Her body was then taken to the Instituto Anatómico Forense in Badajoz to determine exactly how much she had taken

Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is an organosulfur compound derived from caprylic acid (octanoic acid). This acid is produced in the body naturally and is essential for aerobic metabolism.

It is also manufactured and is available as a dietary supplement in some countries where it is marketed as an antioxidant and is available as a pharmaceutical drug in other countries.

Although original used in livestock feed, it has obtained greater use in the world of fitness for defining musculature. However, in the case of the victim, to cause a metabolic failure resulting in death the dosage would have had to be very high.

(News: Don Benito, Badajoz, Extremadura)