How many ephedrine should i take
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See which vitamins our registered dietitian recommends as the best for…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Natalie Butler, R. Reports of adverse events, including serious side effects and even deaths, many in apparently healthy young people, began increasing during this time.
Prominent among the victims have been several college and professional athletes. Thus, in recent years, several major consumer health groups have called on the FDA to ban sales of ephedra-containing products. Under DSHEA, dietary supplements are generally "presumed safe"; thus, manufacturers are required only to notify the FDA of their intent to market new products but are not required to establish the safety or effectiveness of their products.
Once a dietary supplement is on the market, the FDA can restrict its use or ban sales of the product only if it can demonstrate convincingly that the product is unsafe. As complaints continued to mount, the U. The SCEPC is one of 13 federally sponsored evidence-based practice centers nationwide that specializes in seeking answers to important health care questions through assessing and synthesizing the evidence from large numbers of research studies.
Statistically combining the findings of many similar studies increases researchers' confidence that small apparent differences in the effects of two treatments are in fact real. We were asked to review all studies of ephedra-containing dietary supplements conducted to date, to assess whether the substance actually lives up to manufacturers' claims and whether the supplements are safe for the general population, or whether they are in fact responsible for the adverse effects that have been attributed to them.
The herb ephedra, also known as ma huang, is a small, twiggy shrub native to Asia, where it has a long history of medicinal use, as documented in ancient medical treatises from India and China. Traditional Chinese and Indian medicine uses the branches of the herb to treat colds and wheezing and as a diuretic. Modern European practitioners of herbal medicine use ephedra only to treat symptoms of respiratory diseases such as bronchial asthma.
In the United States, the active components of ephedra, known as the ephedrine alkaloids ephedrine; pseudoephedrine; norephedrine, also known as phenylpropanolamine; and norpseudoephedrine are commonly found in over-the-counter cold and allergy medications. The ephedrine alkaloids are stimulants similar to, but much weaker than, amphetamines that can increase heart rate and blood pressure and relax bronchial tissue, easing shortness of breath. At low doses, they are reputed to decrease appetite, increase alertness and productivity, improve mood, and decrease fatigue; at higher doses, they may promote anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia.
The use of ephedra to promote weight loss and enhance athletic performance began to gain popularity in the United States in the early s. The increase in popularity of herbal products and over-the-counter medications that seem to promote weight loss is probably attributable to a combination of factors, including the recent precipitous rise in overweight and obesity rates, news stories suggesting that prescription diet drugs may be dangerous, the reluctance of many overweight people to talk with their doctors about weight control, and the growing belief on the part of many people that natural substances such as herbs and those perceived as natural are safer than mainstream medicines.
People have used dietary supplements to enhance athletic performance for many years. Use of dietary supplements and over-the-counter medications containing stimulants like ephedrine to enhance athletic performance increased throughout the latter part of the 20th century, perhaps in part because of the bans imposed on use of amphetamines and because of the accelerating intensity of competitive sports.
Our assessment of the evidence was guided by a distinguished panel of technical experts, both basic scientists and clinicians. This group included cardiologists, exercise physiologists, pharmacologists, and toxicologists, as well as specialists in obesity, nutrition, and the science of pharmacognosy.
The technical expert panel recommended that we also review studies of over-the-counter medications that contain the chemical ephedrine, presumed to be the primary active ingredient of ephedra ephedrine-containing products are regulated as pharmaceuticals, not as dietary supplements. In addition, many ephedracontaining supplements also include herbs that contain caffeine, and products that contain ephedrine often include caffeine.
Because caffeine is believed to have effects that are similar to ephedrine, such combinations could potentially be more powerful than either substance alone. It also works together with caffeine which can help with weight loss too. When these drugs are combined, weight is lost faster than if they were taken separately.
The question remains as to whether that is safe for most people or not. Research has also shown that combining these two drugs when bodybuilding has the possibility of increasing metabolic rates by around five percent. This is equivalent to losing another one-third of a pound each week for most people. While that may not seem like a lot, the energy expended would take around half an hour of fast paced walking each day. Ephedrine has also shown to become more efficient the longer someone takes it.
Ephedrine works well because the body is catecholamine sensitive. This is helpful because when you remain calorie deficient for longer periods of time, your body is going to expend less energy. This happens to be one reason some people just stop losing as much weight after they have been on a diet for a certain amount of time.
Ephedrine compensates for the loss of energy expenditure through increasing the metabolism of the user. Many first time users will feel full after taking in only a couple hundred calories each day. Just as with every other stimulant out there, ephedrine has some commonly known side effects too. Some of these side effects include the following:. These are just some of the most common side effects with ephedrine use.
While these might seem scary, it should be known that this happens with practically all stimulants, even caffeine. For most ephedrine users, these side effects will subside in a couple of weeks maximum. So, is ephedrine safe? Most professionals will label this drug as dangerous. In fact, some people have classified it in with harsh drugs such as 2,4-Dinitrophenol and clenbuterol. As just mentioned, many professionals classify ephedrine as a dangerous drug. There are various reasons for this. The first of those being that using this drug does have some risks.
Just about every medication or drug you take does come with risks. Some people have serious negative side effects.
In fact, the FDA has reported that during more than 18, complaints were submitted from people who used ephedrine. With that being said, many of those instances were from people who had a pre-existing health condition. The negative side effects were also reported by those who used ephedrine with other pharmaceutical or recreational drugs such as ecstasy, cold medicine, or alcohol.
These medications should never be used together. There have been some deaths from people who have taken this drug. Since a incident, the FDA has banned use of ephedrine in supplements. After this incident, there have been more fears and questions arising regarding the safety of ephedrine.
There is some irony to this since many people have had fatal reactions after overdosing on caffeine as well. However, millions of people abuse caffeine every single day without thinking about it.
These same people may think that ephedrine has too many risks to consume. In reality, there are dangers to both caffeine and ephedrine. If ephedrine is taken in a responsible manner, it can be considered safe.
However, those with a pre-existing health condition should not take it. It also should not be taken in higher doses or mixed with other drugs or alcohol. Mixing these things can be dangerous, even fatal. Lastly, it should be noted that most studies on this drug lasted a maximum of a few months.
The most commonly known protocol for ephedrine dosing when it comes to weight loss is three servings at twenty to twenty-five mg each day. This should be taken in the morning, around noon, and in the early afternoon hours. Most EC stacks will combine the servings along with two hundred mg of caffeine.
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Share on Pinterest. What is ephedra? Boosts metabolic rate and fat loss. Acts synergistically with caffeine. Side effects and safety. Legal status. The bottom line.