Ephedra

Any questions concerning taking or discontinuing an over-the-counter medication or supplement should be directed to your healthcare professional.

Ephedra Dangers Breakthrough Supplements - Serious Side Effects
On December 30, 2003 the FDA took steps to ban the herbal supplement Ephedra after examining over 16,000 reports of adverse reactions including heart attack, stroke and sudden death; as of that time, Ephedra had been blamed for about 155 deaths. The supplement has also been linked to other dangerous side effects including high blood pressure, nerve damage, tremors, seizures, and psychiatric symptoms.

The chemical, derived from the Chinese herb ma huang, was the main ingredient in some of today's most popular energy and weight loss supplements and works by stimulating the central nervous system, much like adrenaline and caffeine.

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What is ephedra and how does it work?
Ephedra is a naturally occurring substance derived from the Chinese herb ma huang and was a very common ingredient in numerous energy and weight loss supplements. Its active ingredient is ephedrine, a substance most common in decongestants and respiratory medicines where it is regulated as a drug. In supplements, however, Ephedra is valued as an amphetamine-like stimulant, where it affects the central nervous system by boosting energy levels. It can also help the body burn fat and gain muscle by raising the body's metabolism.

Why are supplements so loosely regulated by the FDA?
Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, the FDA regulates dietary supplements differently from conventional food and drugs. In this case, the manufacturer is responsible for their supplement's safety before it is marketed. The FDA can take action only after it reaches the market if adverse effects occur.

The FDA, along with the Department of Health and Human Services, has finally taken action against the manufacturers of ephedra-containing supplements. However, this is after ephedra-containing supplements became a $3 billion-a-year industry.

What are the dangers associated with ephedra?
Ephedra-containing supplements have been linked to death and other serious side effects, including:

• Heart attack
• Stroke
• High blood pressure
• Psychiatric symptoms
• Nerve damage, tremors
• Seizures
• Irregular heart rate
• Insomnia

How many ephedra users have suffered injury?
According to The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), consumers spend $3 billion on ephedra products every year. According to The New York Times , the FDA has received at least 164 reports of deaths among ephedra users, as well as 16,000 reports of other adverse effects.

What supplements contain ephedra?
Because of the FDA's regulation and subsequent ban, the list of supplements that contain ephedra is rapidly changing, and as of April 12, 2004, the products are no longer allowed to be sold. The more popular ephedra-containing supplements have included:

• Metabolife 356
• Ripped Fuel
• Diet Fuel
• Xenadrine RFA-1
• Stacker 3
• Hydroxycut
• Metab-O-Lite
• Metabolift
• Up Your Gas
• Truckers Luv It
• Yellow Jackets
• And many more!

What is being done to protect consumers?
In February 2003, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the FDA announced a campaign to help protect Americans from potentially serious risks of dietary supplements containing ephedra. By March 2003, the FDA and HHS required manufacturers to put warning labels on their ephedra-containing products. In response, some states restricted sales of ephedra, some retailers elected to remove ephedra-containing products from their shelves, and some manufacturers voluntarily chose to reformulate their ephedra products to remove the ingredient.

On December 30, 2003, after further investigation into the ephedra risks, the FDA announced their plan to remove all remaining ephedra-containing supplements from the market, a ban which officially took effect April 12, 2004.

I don't know if the supplement I am taking contains ephedra. What should I do?
Check the ingredient label of the supplement you are taking or have taken. Ephedra is listed under a few different names, which can help you pinpoint the potentially dangerous substance. These ephedra pseudonyms include:

• Ephedra, ephedra sinica, ephedra extract, ephedra herb powder
• Ma Huang
• Epitonin
• Ephedrine
• Chinese ephedra
• Pseudoephedrine and norpseudoephedrine

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If you have been injured as a result of a Ephedra, Contact a Steven A. Bagen & Associates Gainesville, Florida drug injury lawyer today!

Any questions concerning taking or discontinuing an over-the-counter medication or supplement should be directed to your healthcare professional. This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to constitute medical advice and should not be viewed as such. For medical advice you should always consult with your physician.

Steven A. Bagen & Associates is not affiliated with, sponsored by or associated with the FDA, The New York Times, or the Department of Health and Human Services.