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Ephedrine (sourced from plant ephedra) quickly gained popularity in the 1990s, but soon became controversial due to safety concerns. While some studies have shown it can boost metabolism and weight loss, others noted that it could cause harmful side effects.
What is ephedra?
Ephedra is a plant that contains several substances called “ephedrine alkaloids”, which include ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. As a dietary supplement, ephedra is neither safe nor legal.
In 2004, the FDA determined that all dietary supplements containing ephedra alkaloids pose a risk of serious adverse health events, including heart attack and stroke. For this reason, the FDA issued a final rule stating that dietary supplement products containing ephedrine alkaloids cannot be legally sold or marketed in the United States.
Ephedrine's effectiveness
Enhances fat loss and metabolic rate
Ephedra may help you lose weight by boosting your metabolism, which can help you burn calories. Although many components in ephedra may have different effects on your body, the most notable effects are likely due to ephedrine.
Several studies have found that taking ephedrine increases your resting metabolic rate — the number of calories burned at rest — which is likely due to an increase in the number of calories burned by your muscles.
Ephedrine has been shown in some studies to increase the number of calories burned over a 24-hour period. Another study found that when obese individuals went on a very-low-calorie diet, their metabolic rate dropped, but this was partially prevented by taking ephedrine.
In one study of ephedrine compared to a placebo, it led to weight loss of 3 pounds (1.3 kg) per month more than a placebo—for up to four months. However, long-term evidence of ephedrine's weight-loss effectiveness is lacking.
When combined with caffeine, ephedrine has a synergistic effect
Many studies have used a combination of ephedrine and caffeine in their reports on the weight-loss effects of ephedrine. This combination seems to work better than either ingredient alone.
For example, one study found that the combination of 70 mg of caffeine and 24 mg of ephedra increased the metabolic rate by 8% over 2 hours, compared to placebo. Caffeine and ephedrine individually had no effects on weight loss, but when given together produced weight loss.
Ephedrine, a stimulant found in many weight loss products and medications for asthma, can help you burn 9.5 pounds (4.3 kg) of fat during a six-month study as part of a diet and exercise plan . This is more than the group taking a placebo pill will burn off. It also decreases bad cholesterol levels, helping to prevent heart disease.
Overall, this long-term study shows that ephedrine — when combined with the right diet and exercise plan — can help you lose weight and body fat.
Ephedrine's Risks
Ephedrine is on the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) and nearly every other major professional or amateur athletics association's list of banned substances.
The risks of ephedra were originally revealed in a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2000, which revealed that several patients had died of cardiac arrest after taking an ephedra-containing product.
The following are some of the more dangerous side effects of ephedra/ephedrine use:
- Hypertension
- Cardiac arrest
- A rapid or erratic heart rate
- Psychosis\Seizure\Stroke
Many products containing caffeine and ephedra/ephedrine were shown to be ineffective for their intended purpose and to enhance the frequency and severity of the negative effects listed above.
What is the Legal Status of Ephedrine?
Although the ephedra herb and items such as ma huang tea can be purchased, nutritional supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids are not. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prohibited ephedrine-containing goods in 2004 due to safety concerns (1Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).
Some ephedrine-containing drugs are still available over-the-counter, while laws governing their purchase differ by state.
Because ephedrine-containing products were so popular before the FDA banned them, some people are still looking for weight loss products that contain this chemical. As a result, some dietary supplement companies will promote weight loss solutions that contain other ephedra chemicals but not ephedrine alkaloids. These products may not have the same safety risks as ephedrine-containing drugs, but they may be less effective.
While ephedrine-containing goods have been outlawed in various nations outside of the United States, the restrictions differ.
Bottom Line
The health risks of ephedrine are still a topic of debate. While the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned all supplements containing ephedrine, many foods and dietary ingredients still contain ephedra extract.
The ban stems from concerns about the safety of ephedrine, which is known to cause high blood pressure, irregular heart rate and psychiatric effects such as nervousness and mood swings.
In addition, there may be other compounds in ephedra besides ephedrine, which some researchers believe may reduce some of the potential side effects of this compound. Many experts also claim that non-ephedrine compounds in ephedra are also responsible for many of its weight loss benefits.
Until ephedrine can be safely used again (if it ever will), people should stick to exercise as their best solution for weight loss and boost metabolism.
