Red Deer Life - May 16, 2006

As the spring season continues it seems the main focus of fitness for many has still been the pursuit of a lean healthy body. Busy schedules often make perfect nutrition a difficult task; this inspires us to seek out those magic items that may provide us an edge or a dramatic short cut to our goal.

One item in particular warrants some space and discussion. Ma Haung, Ephedrine Hydrochloride, Pseudoephedrine all processed variants and derivatives of a plant from the Ephedra family. Medically ephedrine has been used as a decongestant to treat asthma, used in this fashion in Chinese medicine for centuries; ephedrine has also been ever prevalent on the list of products for weight loss.

In recent year's many real risks of ephedrine have surfaced. This drug has been under constant review, it surprises me that is even available over-the-counter anymore. To my knowledge, oddly Alberta is the only province you may buy ephedrine without a prescription. In recent years Health Canada has removed ephedrine from all weight-loss formulas and as of now health stores are not allowed to even indicate that ephedrine may be used for weight-loss. However, at the risk of stiff fines, many stores are still illegally selling potentially dangerous weight-loss products containing ephedrine or one of its derivatives to meet the demands of consumers.

So let's talk about why ephedrine is so bad. Ephedrine is a central nervous system stimulant similar to an amphetamine as well as a bronchodilator. It exudes an effect on our body much like adrenalin. Adrenalin is secreted from our adrenal glands that sit atop our kidneys in the form of epinephrine and nor-epinephrine. These powerful hormones can bring our body to immediate red-alert status to meet the demands of the worst situations or to a near comatose state upon conclusion of an emergency. This intense stimulation causes near biochemical pandemonium in our body with an incredible expenditure of resources. To supplement a drug to induce these situations may have severe repercussions such as some of these common side effects: nervousness, dizziness, alternations in blood pressure or heart rate, headache, chest pain, hepatitis, stroke, seizures, psychosis, and death. But this is just what the textbooks say.

In my personal experience through my years of competitive bodybuilding I had used ephedrine a number of times. I look back now without any doubt that ephedrine caused me all sorts of problems; from a state of constant dehydration to periods of anxiety and depression. Ephedrine is also mildly habit forming. Cessation of ephedrine will leave you tired, lethargic and unmotivated for an extended time. This is caused by the body's negative feedback loop to the adrenal glands. Each time we artificially stimulate our body to heightened awareness and increased metabolic rate with ephedrine our body suppresses the hormones regulating the adrenal glands normal output. Our sensitive adrenal glands are a control centre for our metabolism and may be easily suppressed for long periods of time. This is why it's not uncommon for people who have used this drug for weight loss to yo-yo again afterwards.

In conclusion I remind you that there are no approved over-the-counter weight loss formulas containing any derivative of ephedrine. In my professional opinion I urge you to consider alternatives and save your adrenals. Ephedrine is only to be used as a nasal decongestant and as far as that goes there are many more effective while potentially less harmful decongestants available. I am going to post this column on my website with a letter written by a caring father regarding the result of ephedrine use by his daughter. I urge you to read it if you have been considering ephedrine use.

Please read the letter posted at this link if you are thinking of using ephedrine.

http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/weight-loss-etc/danger-of-ephedrine.htm