Hordenine is a chemical naturally found in barley (Hordeum vulgare). It can also be found in algae, cacti, and some grass species. It is similar in chemical structure to stimulants found in bitter orange. Hordenine is included in many dietary supplements used for athletic performance and weight loss.
Hordenine is considered a Dietary Supplement Stimulant (DSS).
Products containing hordenine are considered “adulterated,” and the safety of hordenine is unknown.
Hordenine is structurally similar to other natural phenethylamines (which act to stimulate the body), such as N-methyltyramine and synephrine, and it appears to be structurally related to ephedrine. In fact, when ephedra-containing products were removed from the dietary supplement market due to safety concerns, other stimulant substances (including hordenine) began to emerge as ingredients in dietary supplement products marketed for weight loss and athletic performance.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recently determined hordenine to be a “new dietary ingredient (NDI) for which an NDI notification is required and has not yet been submitted.” Therefore, any product containing hordenine is considered “adulterated.”