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Ephedra Victims

Under the Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act (DSHEA) passed by Congress in 1994, the law doesn't require the manufacturers of dietary supplements to demonstrate that their product is safe or effective before it goes on the market. Dietary supplements touting weight loss and other benefits can cause adverse effects, yet only post-market surveillance can produce findings of these problems.

In the case of ephedra, the FDA received more than 16,000 complaints of adverse reactions to the herb, which is found in more than 200 dietary supplements sold over the counter. It has been linked to 155 deaths from heart attacks and strokes. Hundreds of ephedra victims have filed suit.

The dietary supplement loophole allows diet and other nutritional products that contain ephedra to get past the FDA without approval, increasing the chance of ephedra victims. Ephedra does not require FDA approval because ephedra is sold as a medication, not as a nutritional supplement. Nevertheless, the American Medical Association has urged the government to ban ephedra supplements as ephedra victims have suffered heart attacks, strokes, and, in the most severe cases, death.

With the number of ephedra victims growing, the National Football League, the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the International Olympic Committee have banned the substance. Ephedra products represent less than 1 percent of total sales in the herbal supplement market, however ephedra accounted for 64 percent of all severe reactions to herbal supplements reported to poison control centers in the U.S. in 2001. The Annals of Internal Medicine even published an article declaring ephedra the most dangerous herbal product on the market.

Steve Bechler was one of the more publicly recognized ephedra victims. Steve Bechler was a pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles pitcher, who was taking three pills a day during preseason to help him lose weight at the time of his death. Korey Stringer, former tackle for the Minnesota Vikings, died of heatstroke during training camp after taking an ephedra supplement called Ripped Fuel. Another ephedra victim was one of the least likely candidates for a health problem. An otherwise healthy sixteen-year-old boy died after taking a product containing ephedra called "Yellow Jackets," used by some teenage athletes to boost energy and stamina.

According to the FDA, at least 100 ephedra victims suffered such deaths linked to use of products containing ephedra. A study published in February 2003 reported that poison control centers in the United States had 1,178 cases of ephedra toxicity in 2002.

Ephedra and ephedrine alkaloids are introduced to ephedra victims as the primary ingredient in many dietary supplements. Ephedra is also used in products that treat asthma, allergies, hay fever, common colds, and sinus congestion. Ephedra products are mainly marketed to athletes as a way of boosting energy and improving athletic performance and people trying to shed those extra pounds.

According to doctors, the health benefits of ephedra have been overestimated. Ephedra victims are encouraged to steer clear of diet pills, and instead take a comprehensive approach to weight loss involving diet and nutrition, regular physical activity, and behavioral change.

If you or a loved one are an ephedra victim and have been misled by false advertising, you may be due compensation for your suffering. Contact an experienced drug recall attorney to organize your ephedra victim case.

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.