Before the February 2004 ban on ephedra by the U.S. FDA, the agency had already issued a public health warning the previous year. The warning urged consumers to desist taking and purchasing over-the-counter supplements with ephedra, ephedrine or ma huang content.
Ephedrine is the active alkaloid in the ma huang or ephedra plant that has proven its medicinal value over the centuries. Although it is highly valued in drugs for colds, cough, asthma and others, its unregulated use in weight loss and sports enhancement supplements have proven very dangerous and even fatal in many cases.
The reports of side effects were just too much to ignore but it had to be the death of a Boston Orioles’ pitcher, Steve Bechler, to finally spur the FDA into a banning action. Ephedra needs to be a prescription drug because it triggers a lot of negative side effects, ranging in degree from mild to fatal.
If the individual harbors no contraindications and ephedra is taken strictly as per prescription, reactions to ephedra can manifest in these common forms:
Taking ephedra-based weight loss supplements or sports enhancers becomes dangerous when it is taken with contraindicated medical issues, drugs and other substances. The combination can render an individual with:
It is important to get medical attention on the double as these reactions can be fatal. Know as well that the above list is by no means a complete one.
Just because an ingredient is herbal and therefore natural, it does not mean it is safe. Ephedra is one prime example of a substance that can be more dangerous than many chemical drugs.
You perhaps have been sold on many a site’s promise of dramatic weight loss results with ephedra-based supplements despite the FDA ban. Don’t be taken in by these illegal sellers. There is a perfectly safe and potent alternative in Phentramin-D diet pills.
Just as ephedrine-laden supplements have worked to effectively burn fat and reduce appetite, Phentramin-D has proven itself as an excellent caloric restrictor and energy booster. When used synergistically with a low calorie diet and ample exercise, this over-the-counter supplement can help you lose as much as 40 pounds in three months. Now that’s what we call real weight loss help. What’s more, Phentramin-D is non-prescription.
What about its side effects? Since no two individuals are alike, there are bound to have side effects crop up in certain people. The effects are rather minimal, however, and go away in a few days or weeks when the body adapts to the supplement. For more on this, read up on Phentramin-D’s side effects at this site.