THE PILLS| What experts conclude

Three sets of experts examined the lists of ingredients of a new line of supplements targeted at people who play video games. The experts were ConsumerLab.com, a testing lab in White Plains, N.Y.; the Michigan Pharmacists Association; and Edward Krenzelok, director of the Pittsburgh Poison Center at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.
MAXX IMPULSE
How described by MindFX: "An extreme energy supplement."
Key ingredients: Cacao fruit extract, guarana seed extract, green orange extract, eleuthero and rhodiola.
Other ingredients: Di-calcium phosphate, microcrystalline cellulose, polyvinyl pyrollidone, stearic acid, magnesium stearate, silica and pharmaceutical glaze.
Experts' conclusion: A collection of stimulants, including the caffeine equivalent of about half a cup of coffee, and one worrisome ingredient, green orange extract, which has been shown to cause heart palpitations and other problems in some individuals. Not for those under 18.
NEUROCHARGE
How described by MindFX: "A hard-core concentration/reaction time formula."
Key ingredients: Ginkgo biloba leaf, taurine, glutathione, activated soy phosphatides, huperzine-A and vinpocetine.
Other ingredients: Di-calcium phosphate, microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, pharmaceutical glaze and silica.
Experts' conclusion: Some ingredients have been shown to have positive effects on brain function, including studies involving teenagers, though in larger doses than present here. No studies have covered how all these ingredients work together, and short-term effects are likely to be minimal.
AFTERMATH
How described by MindFX: "A total relaxation/rejuvenation formula."
Key ingredients: Vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, folate, vitamin B-12, biotin, pantothenic acid, serotain, chamomile, passionflower, L-Tyrosine.
Other ingredients: Di-calcium phosphate, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, stearic acid, magnesium stearate, pharmaceutical glaze and silica.
Experts' conclusion: An expensive multivitamin with a few other ingredients. Our experts had no major concerns about any ingredients unless taken in conjunction with a regular multivitamin or fortified foods or drinks, in which case overdosing of some vitamins could occur.