Ephedra SupplementsEphedra supplements
used to be a very popular way to promote weight lose in the obese.
Like most stimulants, ephedra supplements significantly boost
metabolism and lower appetite, so they make an effective and
tempting alternative to diet and exercise.
Ephedra supplements are definitely a risky and unhealthy way to
lose weight. While not an especially dangerous drug in itself, mixed
with caffeine or other stimulants ephedra can become a serious risk
to your health. Every year there are some reported cases of people
who unknowingly overdosed by taking some kind of ephedra supplement
and then going on to have coffee, Sudafed, or some combination of
other stimulants that put them over the top.
Even ephedra by itself boosts your chances of having heart
attacks, especially in people who already have heart trouble or
blood pressure issues. The irony is that most people that would want
to take ephedra supplements to lose weight are the exact same people
who are at the most risk by taking them.
Because of the risks associated with it, ephedra supplements have
waned in popularity as diet pills. They’ve been replaced by a host
of other ‘natural’ and ‘herbal’ supplements that are every bit as
dangerous but just haven’t gotten a bad reputation yet. Don’t be
fooled by the term ‘natural’ or ‘herbal’; these two words are by no
means synonymous with ‘healthy’ or ‘safe’. After all, ephedra comes
from a 100 percent natural herb, and so do hemlock and nicotine.
Most of the ephedra supplement overdose cases I hear about these
days have been in college aged kids taking ‘herbal ecstasy’
concoctions. Herbal ecstasy is basically a combination of epehdra,
caffeine, and pseudephedrine, all of which together act
synergistically to really put your heart into overdrive. For many
the result is just a lot of sweating and teeth clenching as they go
dancing from club to club, but every now and then the cocktail
proves too much and causes heart failure.
Ephedra supplements are hard to find in stores because of the
dangers linked to them, but they are still legal and available to
anyone determined to take them. I see them now and then in gas
station markets or 7-11s, usually sold at the counter in colorful
little packets labeled something ridiculous like ‘Super Boost’ or
‘Ultimate Energy Pills’. If you’re thinking about taking some of
these, just be careful not to over do it, and to avoid other
stimulants.
