AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou says he’s “absolutely shocked” by allegations Essendon players were injected with a variety of bizarre substances.

Former Bombers sports scientist Stephen Dank says Essendon players were given an anti-obesity drug, an extract from pig’s brain, the first milk from a mother cow and a bark extract.

But Dank told Fairfax Media nothing he gave to the players was prohibited and stressed the supplements were safe.

Coach James Hird was also accused of injecting a WADA blacklisted drug by Dank.

“I’m shocked by the complexity of the substances, the potential injurious nature of these substances,” Demetriou said on Thursday.

I’m horrified as a parent that – if true – young men were being injected with these substances.

“It’s a terribly disturbing situation.”