Ephedra & Ephedrine: Deadly Dieting Agent or Supplement Scapegoat? Feb 27 '03    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet The Bottom Line If someone dies and they are on a diet – be sure the blame Ephedra and Ephedrine based products as quick as you can! [extreme sarcasm] You have all seen the stories of people who fall over and die after taking “a dose” of a dieting supplement that contains ephedra or ephedrine. The media is so quick to jump on the bandwagon that they don’t take the time to properly research the evidence; sadly, this goes double for the medical community. I have used a variety of weight loss products that contain a small amount of these two supplements as well as [in the past] products that contained a tremendous amount of it. As you can tell, I am still here to talk about it. It seems that every time someone dies while they are exercising, in a team practice or doing anything sport related, the first thing that is asked is “Was he using ephedrine?”. I am not saying that this stuff is harmless however I think if more people learned to read the label on the bottle, followed the directions and consulted a physician – they might be alive today. Since not everyone is familiar with what these two products are, I’ll give some basic information as well as some facts and product examples. I am not a doctor so any information given here is strictly and only for educational purposes. If you are starting a diet, please consult a physical, get a complete physical and ask for suggestions. The bottom line is that you are the one who is making the decisions about what you are eating, how much you are exercising and what supplements, if any, you will be taking. Preface Could Millions of Chinese People Be Wrong? I have a very interesting question for all those that have pointed the finger at both ephedra and ephedrine as major roles in the death of athletes. If this is true then how did the Chinese manage to use this for thousands of years without everyone falling over? Because they aren’t a country of indulgence, vanity and compulsion. In America everyone wants to do it faster, longer, harder and with the smallest amount of effort – which is why more and more people are turning towards weight loss supplements. Taking a weight loss supplement is not going to make you lose weight – diet, exercise and time are the only three things that will get you to your goal. Ephedra and ephedrine based products are available over the counter in most states and I have yet to see one that has been approved by the FDA [Food & Drug Administration]. Moreover, I have yet to see one of these products claims of dramatic weight loss backed up with any type of credible statistics. But Freak, you said you took these!. Yes, I have in the past, currently do use them and will continue to. Why? Because I can read the label, don’t have any major preexisting health conditions that could be impacted by the use of these products and I know when enough is enough. All that aside, the names of products change on almost a monthly level to avoid the crack downs by the FDA so by time I am done writing this review, chances are at least one of the products mentioned will be yanked off the shelves. My Personal Experiences I was a fat kid. I was teased, tortured and tormented by family and friends for the better part of my childhood. I never liked being fat, having to wear clothes that were tragically uncool and spent a lot of time deep in depression. If you’ve never been overweight you don’t know what it feels like to be talked about, pointed at and made fun of. I am not talking ten to fifteen pounds of fat, I am talking borderline morbid obesity. When other kids were wearing crop tops and shorts I was stuffed into a sweatshirt and baggy pants trying to hid the layers of fat that were slowly killing me both physically and emotionally. I decided that I had enough of my families torment, affectionately being called a human trash can for the better part of my younger years. I started to work out at a gym with the help of a friend and learned that no matter what anyone said, I needed to ignore the bad as well as the good that was being said about me – I needed to be my own judge and jury. If I decided to sneak into the pantry during the middle of the night, I wasn’t sneaking past anyone but myself. After losing an incredible amount of weight I had a whole new respect for myself but still harbored a lot of ill will against my family. Instead of being supportive and encouraging me, they only sought to undermine my plans. Again, this is where ignoring the good and the bad that others say came to my rescue. In one breath they would say that I lost a good deal of weight and in the next that I was starting to look like a freak [no pun] for packing on muscle. While I rarely show it or discuss it, the stinging words of my family and friends still rise to and haunt me from time to time. When I started training on a daily basis I felt better about myself. I was starting to lift larger amounts of weight for more repetitions, could stay on the treadmill for an hour at a time and generally had a much better attitude and outlook on life. Proper diet [high protein, low carbs] is what helped me lose the weight yet still have the energy to function outside the gym after an exhaustive workout. Amino acids, protein shakes, fiber pills and multi vitamins became an important part of my life back then. To lose the last few pounds that were the bane of my existence, I turned to a few friends at the gym that were competitive body builders and they suggested a few products. Seeing as how these guys looked like walking sculptures I trusted their suggestions and picked up a few products that are now no longer being manufactured. I used them with great success and managed to rid myself of the last few pounds. Sure I could have done this with millions of sit-ups and months of crunches but this was fat. Something that I carried with me for many years so I knew that I would need a little help to get rid of it. Flash forward: present day America. I’ve successfully managed to keep the weight off [even after the birth of my children] and have attained a 12% body fat level on my almost six foot tall frame. By all accounts and measures, I am still overweight according to every medical chart. Currently I am 197 pounds, which might immediately make most of you think that I am some kind of cow. When computing my BMI [body mass index] I am still in the ‘overweight’ category [25-29.9 range]. What does that mean? To everyone else it is a way to judge your height and weight against a chart of averages. To me it is an outdated and foolish way to plunge someone deeper into depression. Curious about your own BMI? Check out this easy to use website that asks only for your height and weight and gives you your BMI. http://nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmicalc.htm But what does all this have to do with the editorial? Patience my dear reader, patience. When you are overweight and feeling isolated from everything and everyone you tend to overlook the simplest solutions. Proper exercise, eating food in small quantities but every few hours and doing it for yourself – not to please someone else. Turning to diet supplements, quick weight loss products or anabolics might help you lose weight – but will you be able to keep it off in a safe manner? The 24 and 48 hour liquid diets, meal replacement bars, shake diets and anything else that is pitched on a late night infomercial is more than likely going to give you a quick weight loss with the pounds slowly creeping back – and bringing along a few friends. Ephedra: The White Devil Marketed under a thousand different product names, Ephedra [ephedra sinica] is an herb that is also known as Ma Huang, which is in the Ephedracae root family [hence the shortened name]. It shouldn’t be confused with the synthetic version of ephedrine, this is the type of ‘ephedra’ that is most commonly present in products that are on the shelves today. To tell the difference between the two all you have to do is look for products that say “HCL” or HCl” [small case “L”] which stands for ‘hydrochloride’ next to the term they are using to represent the ephedra or ephedrine product. There is so much misrepresentation on product labels that it often gets confusing trying to tell which is made from the natural ephedra and which is a synthetic. Even some people who work in the field of selling nutritional supplements are often taken back when their errors are pointed out to them. This also means that they are giving out incorrect information to people who are visiting their stores and could result in some severe problems for those that have been advised not to take any natural or synthetic versions of the supplement. It is extremely important to make a distinction between the ephedra and ephedrine based products when you are looking into taking any type of weight loss or metabolic booster. If you have any type of preexisting heart condition, take any type of prescription drug, have had any heart troubles, have an irregular heartbeat, are morbidly obese, are pregnant or nursing a baby, have high blood pressure, any type of heart disease or diabetes – you should avoid ingesting these two compounds in any form. Products & Uses Mini Thins Popular in the mid to late 90’s, this product was never approved by the FDA, nor were its claims to help with asthma relief or as a bronchodilator and expectorant. It contained 25 mg of Ephedrine HCL with 100 mg Guaifensin. The small 100 tablet bottles were sold at truck stops, convenience stores and through most internet supplement stores for anywhere between $4.00 - $15.00 [same product, same name, different price – go figure]. Restrictions were placed on the sale of this product until it eventually was removed from most points of sale. Most vendors were allowed to sell the stock that they had on hand but were prohibited from ordering more to sell to the public. Limitations were placed on how many bottles could be purchased at one time and most reputable places were asking for a photo identification when this was being purchased. While most of it was used as a weight loss drug, it was gaining a tremendous amount of popularity when cooked down and made into a fast acting, cheap high [meth amphetamine] but the inclusion of the Guaifenesin made it a little harder to separate the binders and fillers from the product. Bolt Ephedrine Plus Similar to Mini Thins, this product also contained the same 25 mg of Ephedrine HCL with 100 mg Guaifensin and was marketed as an asthma relief supplement and expectorant. Sold in small square bottles with 100 tablets per bottle, this was a very popular ‘stay awake’ pill as well as a dieting aid. This too was pulled from the shelves when illegal drug manufacturers started buying this in bulk to make into meth amphetamine. Lipo Kinetix [Syntrax] Marketed as a dietary supplement, this was an extremely popular way to boost your metabolism, lose weight and make it thought a work out with out falling over. The main ingredients were Caffeine, 1R, 2S Norephedrine HCL, Yohimbe HCL and Diodothyronine. It was packaged in a snappy looking bottle and had sports / body building endorsements which gave the public a false sense of security. Due to FDA regulations, this product and others like it were ordered off the shelves. Thankfully I stocked up :] Other products in this class as Adipokinetix, NVE Pure Ephedrene [NVE] Cleverly marketed to look just like the Ephedrine name, this product is “pure” ephedra extract. The sixty tablet bottles sell for about $12.00 a bottle and contain 240 mg ephedra extract, which translates to about 24 mg’s of the extracts alkaloid. NVE is the same company that gave you the entire Stacker line of weight loss / energy booster supplements. I’ve only tried the samples of this product but as a whole I didn’t really notice much of a difference between this and the first generation of Stacker products. Side Effects Each person is different and each person may have different side effects when using an ephedra based product. Most of the packages warn that you should discontinue use if you feel faint, nauseous, spike a sudden fever, experience cramping or generally feel like you have gone over your personal limitations. I have used a lot of products that contain the old school 25 mg ephedrine base as well as some of the newer ones that are ‘cleaner’. From time to time I go get the jitters and feel anxious – when that happens I cut down the dose or make sure that I eat a meal with complex carbohydrates in it to soften the impact. The key is knowing what is enough for your body. Since I have a larger than average female frame I start out with the recommended dose and if it doesn’t provide enough of a burn for me then I add a little more the next time. Please read the information that is provided and never take any product without doing research. What It All Means I could sit here for hours rattling off names of products that contain ephedra or ephedrine but as I stated earlier in this editorial, the names change so often that it is often hard to keep up with current information. Dealing with a reputable sport supplement dealer, knowing the facts as well as your own physical limitations and reading the label are your first line of defense against getting ripped off or hurt. You will never hear me say that either ephedra or ephedrine are harmless – because that simply isn’t the truth but what the media fails to mention when they are preaching the dangers of these two compounds is that they were taken at an extremely dangerous level or used even though they had a preexisting medical condition that was listed on the label. One teen-age football player from the Midwest died during a football practice and the death was immediately blamed on a product that contained ephedrine. When his body was autopsied the coroner determined that he had ingested at least ten times the recommended amount of the supplement. This type of scene plays out at least once a month and every single time it is the “drug” that is blamed for the death. The questions I’d like to see addressed by the medical community that is so quick to point the finger at supplement manufacturers, the FDA and ephedra / ephedrine products are as follows: 1. If these products are only for sale to those over the age of 18, how are teen athletes getting them and why aren’t stores in the area a little more strict when selling these items? 2. Why are coaches turning a blind eye when they know their players are using these types of products for added energy as well as a fat loss product? 3. If there are instructions clearly placed on the labels with warnings, dosage amounts, ingredients and precautions – what else do manufacturers need to do? Personally show up with a regulated amount each and every day so people won’t double, triple and quadruple the dosage amounts? 4. By pointing the finger at products that are abused by athletes you are doing nothing more than making the manufacturers yank the products, repackaging it and sticking it back on the shelves. If you are truly concerned with it then you should work with the manufacturers to try to work to a common ground. 5. If you normally drink two beers a day when you come home from work and one day you decide to drink ten – don’t you think that you’d body would feel the effects of such an action? Yes – you would more than likely be drunk. This is the same basic principal with ephedra / ephedrine based drugs. The dosage amount is one to two tablets / pills before a meal or before a work out [doses and administration times vary from product to product] so if you take what some of the athletes were taking [5 – 15 tablets] I am sure you’d be on the floor with heart palpitations waiting for the ambulance to show up. 6. With all of the other dangers in the world, street drugs that are being made from household chemicals and all the other crimes that are being committed – is this the way the taxpayer’s money should be spent? I asked that question to someone when they were on a rant about “the white devil” and this person asked me how I would feel if my son died as a result of using one of these products. Firstly, my kids can read. Secondly, I would hope that they would use the product – not abuse it if they choose to take this type of product. Thirdly, I have an open line of communication with my boys so they know that no matter what the subject they can talk to me openly about it. Lastly, I’d hope that I instilled in them the ability to make a sound decision regarding their bodies and when they have reached their person limit. Bottom line, my kids aren’t idiots. I’m getting a little sick of parents complaining when their kids are injured [or worse] and are so quick to blame someone that they overlook their own role in the situation. Gee, where did your teenage son get them? No one seems to be answering that question these days. The Bottom Line Instead of the gun ho, slap happy antics of members of the FDA constantly forcing manufacturers to yank products off their shelves – why not work together to promote these products in a positive light with adequate warnings. I’ve yet to see a bottle of any product containing ephedra or ephedrine [or any by product of the two] come without strict warnings about using it. I have successfully used many products containing both compounds and have never felt that my life was in danger or that it was unsafe for adult use. It’s when people abuse a product that it takes on a bad name and gets a bum rap. It’s extremely easy to blame a supplement for a death than to take all the other factors into consideration – pre-existing conditions, number of doses taken, general health of the person, family history etc. Anything taken in excess can be dangerous to your health. I don’t see the FDA cracking down or banning cigarettes or alcohol and they are available everywhere. Walk in to any super market, grocery store or 7-11 and it’s there for you to purchase. Sure you might need to be 18 or 21 to buy it – but there isn’t a limit. When was the last time you saw a store keeper or clerk refusing to sell someone of legal age as much liquor as they wanted? You didn’t get fat overnight so don’t expect to wake up a week after starting an exercise routine looking like a super model. That just won’t happen regardless of what a container or infomercial says or claims. When adding any supplement to your daily diet you should talk with people who have used it and are willing to give you honest feedback about it – not just looking to make a sale or commission. Ephedra and ephedrine were available for years and were used by millions of people before it became the “big thing”. Sadly, those that have used it for the correct applications are being forced to go underground to purchase it or being made to feel like they are a criminal when they use it. I hope that this editorial has helped to bring you a little bit of information about this supplement witch hunt that is going on in America. If you have ever used any of the products listed – or any other containing ephedra or ephedrine, please feel free to share your experiences in the comment section. As always, thanks for the visit! ^V^ Freak ^V^ © 2003 Freak369

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