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Ephedra Products

Stacker 2, Xenadrine, Metabolife, and Hydroxycut are just a few of the dozens of names used to market ephedra products. Ephedra products are used for different reasons ranging from weight loss to weight lifting energy, and have been under scrutiny for their negative effects on the body. Ephedra products have been the cause of over one hundred deaths along with thousands of heart attacks, strokes, and other various health issues.

Because ephedra is an herb, ephedra products are considered a dietary supplement regulated under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. Under that law, the FDA does not review ephedra products for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed. Rather, the law allows the FDA to prohibit sale of an ephedra product only if it "presents a significant or unreasonable risk of injury."

Cytodyne Technologies, the maker of the ephedra product Xenadrine, was ordered to pay $12.5 million in restitution to consumers who purchased Cytodyne's flagship ephedra product, Xenadrine RFA-1, between 1997 and June 2001, when the class-action lawsuit was filed. The Xenadrine ephedra product was found responsible for causing strokes in several people.

While Metabolife was once the leading seller of ephedra products, its reputation and founder have been left battered in the wake of lawsuits and federal investigations. The company and its former chief executive, Michael Ellis, were indicted for lying to the FDA about the safety of its product, Metabolife 356. The Metabolife ephedra product, which was used by bodybuilders for increasing stamina and dieters for weight loss, harvested hundreds of millions of dollars after its 1995 debut. However, the ephedra product Metabolife 356 has also been linked to strokes, heart attacks and, in some cases, death.

With all the negative news regarding ephedra products over the last few years, ephedra products have been phasing out. Former ephedra products like Hydroxycut and Stacker 2 have introduced new formulas of their products without the ephedra. They don't want the public to hear an admission of guilt, but res ipso loquitor (the thing speaks for itself). Taking the ephedra out of the products now is an action that has come a little too late. Since most of the damage from ephedra products has already been done, only the lawsuits remain.

If you or a family member has suffered from any of these ephedra products, you may be entitled to compensation for false advertising. Contact an experienced ephedra product attorney to help you put your claim together and receive the compensation you deserve.

Contact a Ephedra Recall Lawyer

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.