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Ephedra

Ephedra is a stimulant found in many diet pills and sports drinks that has been linked to a high number of serious adverse effects but has not been able to be regulated. Ephedra is an herbal stimulant taken from an evergreen plant found in Central Asia and is classified as a food so the FDA has been unable to regulate it despite the reports of chest pain, myocardial infarction, hepatitis, stroke, seizures, psychosis, and death. Despite the inability to regulate ephedra- containing products, the FDA has been collecting reports on the supplement attributed to over 100 deaths.

Consumer group Public Citizen has been actively trying to have ephedra banned from consumer use since September 2001. Despite support from consumer advocates, healthcare professionals, and the FDA to ban ephedra-containing products, ephedra has remained popular, selling three billion servings every year. Recently, the U.S.'s largest selling ephedra-containing product Metabolife was put under criminal investigation for lying to the FDA about reports of adverse health effects the company had received.

The FDA's 1996 amendment to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act required that the agency show evidence that a marketed product like ephedra is unsafe instead of the company showing it is safe to receive FDA approval first. When company's selling ephedra-containing products, such as Metabolife International, do not provide the FDA with adverse effects reports, the FDA is unable to have evidence to remove dangerous products from the market. In 1995, a pharmacologist that was hired by the FDA to analyze the sudden increase in death and heart problems with teenagers that had used ephedra-containing products expressed his surprise that the FDA did not quickly restrict ephedra following the study.

Evidence of deadly and serious ephedra side effects has been noted as far back as 1994. Finally, in June 2002, the Health and Human Services announced the Rand Corporation would perform all scientific reports on ephedra's safety and a decision would be made following the results. Ephedra is a popular ingredient in sports drinks and diet supplements because of the stimulant effects it has, including a low appetite and high alertness.

If you have taken an ephedra-containing product and suffered serious adverse effects because of it, please contact us.

More Ephedra Resources

MedLine Plus Drug Information - Guide to prescription and over-the-counter medications provided by the United States Pharmacopeia.

Ephedra.com - Introduction, legal issues, weight loss and health concerns surrounding Ephedra.

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