The Controversial Use and Abuse of Epehdrine Supplements
( Advanced Supplementation & Well Being Article ) ..
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently proposed increased regulations of the stimulant ephedrine, ostensibly in response to some 17 deaths and 800 reports of illness associated with its use. This proposal would limit the amount of ephedrine contained within a single dose
(no more than S mg) and require warnings of the dangers of overdosing, such as death, to be printed on supplements containing ephedrine.
Now, you may he wondering if these proposed regulations are just one more intrusion into our personal freedoms. Certainly, some people will always go overboard on anything, thinking that more is better. Yet the FDA, or any government agency for that matter, can't make stupidity
illegal. So instead, government agencies choose to regulate something more tangible; in this case, the dose of ephedrine found in a product. I can immediately see why such regulation won't work. Ephedrine is relatively easy to obtain (the substance is illegal only in a few states).
You can pretty much go to any health food store and buy a bottle of 25-mg ephedrine tablets. So if this stuff is so easy to get, is it as dangerous as the FDA claims? Why would limiting the amount of ephedrine to S mg per dose or serving make a difference? Wouldn't you just take
more of it if you really wanted a higher dose? Besides, can't ephedririe he legitimately used as a weight-loss agent? All good questions.
SAFE OR SORRY?
In a decade-old study published in the Jne-national Journal of Obesity (11: 163-.167, 1987), researchers found that ephedrine can help promote weight loss in obese individuals. In another study performed on obese humans, the safety and effectiveness of a dose of ephedrine,
caffeine and aspirin (75-15(1 mg, 150 mg and 330 mg per total daily dose, respectively) were examined in a double-blind study that lasted from eight weeks up to 26 months. Significant weight loss occurred in the druw treated group, hut researchers found no significant changes in
heart rate, blood pressure, blood glucose, insulin or cholesterol. While some subjects experienced transient jittery- ness, dry mouth and constipation, the authors concluded that the use of ephedrine in this manner was safe and well-tolerated.
So you're thinking, maybe this stuff ain't so had. Well, read on. A popular Chinese herbal preparation called mahuang contains ephedrine and has been used for centuries in the Far East. Did the Chinese miss something that the FDA has since discovered? The problem with mahuang is
that you may never be certain what's in the stuff. A recent report in the American Journal of Gastroenterologv (91:1,436.-1,438, 1996) described a previously healthy 33-year-old woman who presumably suffered acute hepatitis as a result of mahuang use. We don't know what dosages
the woman used, or if other ingredients in the product she used may have contributed to the illness.
In another report in the Journal of Ueurology (43:1,313-1,316, 1993), three individuals suffered from stroke associated with the use of ephedrine. The dose used by one individual was approximately 150 mg daily. This is high, yet comparable to dosages reported in studies in which
ephedrine was given to obese individuals. So what's the bottom line? The scientific evidence strongly suggests that when ephedrine is used by most individuals who are monitored in a controlled medical environment, the chances of harmful side effects seem to he minimal to none.
In certain sensitive individuals, however, high doses of ephedrine may pose an increased risk for stroke and liver pathology, especially if used without medical supervision. You may not know whether you're one of those susceptible individuals unless you decide to experiment with
this stuff, so consult your doctor first. As with all foods and supplements, "everything in moderation" is probably the most feasible approach. Or better yet, if you don't use the stuff at all, you don't have anything to worry about. Remember, it's better to be safe than dead.
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