Study results dashed any claims that dietary supplements containing ephedra or ephedrine can help with long-term weight loss or enhance athletic performance. It was also been banned from U. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
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Use Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher for the best experience. Products that contain the herb ephedra have been promoted and used in the United States since the s to increase weight loss and enhance athletic performance.
Yet despite manufacturers' claims, little research has been done to assess whether the products are safe, and the research studies that have been done have been too small to allow any firm conclusions to be drawn. The questionable effectiveness of these products might not have raised public concern, had the U.
Food and Drug Administration FDA and major manufacturers of ephedracontaining products not become the targets of growing numbers of consumer complaints in the late s. 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 precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile.
Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Ephedrine is a drug derived from the plant Ephedra equisetina. It has been used for hundreds of years as both a stimulant and decongestant. In , the U. Food and Drug Administration FDA banned the sale of supplements containing ephedrine after a number of deaths and cases of adverse effects related to their use were reported.
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It contains caffeine and several herbal…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Multiple Sclerosis. What it is Weight loss Caffeine Safety Legality Bottom line Many people want a magic pill to boost energy and promote weight loss. Share on Pinterest. What is ephedra? Boosts metabolic rate and fat loss.
Acts synergistically with caffeine. Side effects and safety.
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