what is wrong with ephedra?

Answer 1

Ephedra is both a stimulant (similar to adrenaline) and a thermogenic. It stimulates the brain, increases heart rate, constricts blood vessels (increasing blood pressure), and expands bronchial tubes (making breathing easier). Its thermogenic properties cause an increase in metabolism, evidenced by an increase in body heat.
Side effects of ephedra may include irritability, nervousness, dizziness, trembling, headache, vomiting and hyperthermia. Chemical dependence may also develop.
High doses ephedra can cause heart attacks, stroke, and seizures.
Ephedra and pseudoephedrine are precusors to methamphetamine. After ephedra was restricted, sales of pseudoephedrine soared (which can be used instead of ephedra in the production of the drug methamphetamine)

Answer 2

Ephedra can kill you.

Ephedra is an herb used in dietary supplements sold as weight-loss aids and energy boosters that have been associated with serious health problems, including hypertension, irregular heartbeat, strokes and seizures. Some of those problems resulted in death or injury in previously healthy people.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has compelling data showing that ephedra poses serious and unreasonable health risks to consumers. To date, the FDA says that at least 100 deaths have been linked to the use of ephedra. Other studies reveal that risks from the use of ephedra far outweigh any benefits

From January 1993 through October 2000, the FDA received 1,398 reports of adverse events linked to herbal supplements containing ephedra, including 81 deaths, 32 heart attacks, 62 reports of cardiac arrhythmia, 91 reports of hypertension, 69 strokes, and 70 seizures. Complaints about herbal supplements containing ephedra constituted 42 percent of all dietary supplement complaints and 59 percent of all reported deaths.

A comprehensive report appearing in the March 26, 2003 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, links the use of ephedra with risks of heart, psychiatric, and gastrointestinal problems, while finding insufficient evidence to support its use to enhance athletic performance, or to promote long-term weight loss.

According to an analysis released by the Annals of Internal Medicine in February, products containing ephedra accounted for 64% of all adverse reactions to herbal products reported to the American Association of Poison Control Centers in 2001. The researchers calculated relative risks for an adverse reaction to ephedra compared with other herbs in the database and found huge (100-fold or more) increases in risk for those taking ephedra.

The American Medical Association has called for ephedra's removal from the marketplace. In addition, a host of other organizations representing athletes, including the International Olympic Committee, the National Football League, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, have already banned ephedra's use among their members and players.

The Feb. 17 death of Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler has focused new attention on the dangers of ephedra. Bechler, 23, died of heatstroke after a spring-training practice.

http://www.consumersunion.org/supplements/ephedra-dangers.htm
http://www.nmafaculty.org/news/ephedra.htm
http://www.neighborhood-heart-watch.org/newsletter/article_144.shtml
http://www.lifescript.com/channels/well_being/News_Bites/study_reiterates_dangers_of_ephedra.asp
http://www.connectwithkids.com/tipsheet/2003/112_feb18/ephedra.html

Answer 3

Nothing wrong with it. Just follow dosage instructions on the label. 25mg ephedra at a time, up to 4 times a day (100mg a day maximum). There is a lot of fake ephedra in the market. That's what's wrong with it. The real ones now contain DMAA (1,3 DimethylAmylAmine) as the main ingredient. You can get them at www.thatswholesale.com

Answer 4

mainly caused heart problems.
check out:
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/alerts/ephedra/consumeradvisory.htm

Answer 5

Nothing unless you are an idiot and overdose on it or have any of the isuues it warns against on the bottle. Besides that it's all media hype.

Answer 6

It is a traditional Chinese herb used for Astma etc. have a read of this

http://members.aol.com/profchm/Gregory.html

Cheers

Steve

Answer 7

causes constriction of the blood vessles and heart attack, high blood pressure, and various fun things like that.

Answer 8

Nothing if it's used responsibly and as indicated on the lable.

Answer 9

it opens broncial tubes and helps you breath, my wife had asma and hasnt use meds for it in six years now, drug manufacters dont want you to know this, it has to be banned

Answer 10

well, ask a doctor