Ephedra

Introduction

Ephedra sinica is a shrub native to China and Mongolia. The Chinese name for it is Ma huang. The plant contains certain alkaloids. These chemicals stimulate a part of your nervous system called the sympathetic nervous system. This causes an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and energy expenditure. It can also suppress appetite.

Diet pills like Adipex and Meridia also stimulate the sympathetic nervous system. Ma huang is often combined with caffeine or plants that contain caffeine like guarana or yerba maté.

Some studies showed that Ma huang supplements helped people lose about 2 extra pounds per month. However, there are no studies that looked past six months of use.

Side Effects

There are serious side effects from ephedra. These include high blood pressure, abnormal heart beats, heart attacks, strokes, tremors, insomnia, nausea, and seizures. Some cases of death have also been associated with its use. Most cases were in healthy people taking the recommended doses.

Because of these bad side effects and deaths, the FDA banned the sale of this weight loss supplement, which used to be a major herbal weight loss product. Metabolife 356 contained ephedra and was the number one selling diet supplement in 2001.

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