Ephedrine – Wonder supplement or death in a bottle?

What it is

Ephedrine, also called ephedra and Ma Huang, is a compound derived from the scrub-like ephedra plant that has been used for thousands of years in traditional folk medicine. Chemically it belongs to the class of drugs known as beta agonists. This means that it stimulates beta-receptors through out the body, particularly those located in the sympathetic nervous system.

What it’s used for?

Medical

As with anabolic steroids, ephedra compounds do have legitimate medical uses. The main use is in treating bronchial problems associated with colds and asthma. Stimulating beta-receptors in smooth muscle causes these tissues to relax, thus opening air passages. For this reason many cold and flu products contain ephedrine or its close cousin, pseudoephedrine.

Stimulant

Beta-receptor stimulation doesn’t just cause smooth muscle tissue to relax. Stimulating beta-receptors also causes the sympathetic nervous system to kick in. This system, also know as the “fight or flight” nervous system, prepares the body for dealing with danger. Our ancestors would have relied on this system to run from the saber tooth tiger or hold their ground and fight it. Now days people take ephedra products to boost their performance in sports or cope with a job requiring physical labor. As a stimulant ephedra ranks somewhere between caffeine and amphetamine.

Fat loss

Although popular as a stimulant, most people use ephedrine as a fat loss drug. As it stands now ephedra products are the most effective over-the-counter fat loss products available. Bodybuilders use them to get shredded for a contest. Millions of women use it them to look better in swim suits. Although not fully understood, it is believed that the compound works by increasing the process of thermogenesis in the body. In simple terms thermogenesis is the process by which fat deposits become more susceptible for burning as an energy source when the body’s temperature is elevated slightly.

Dangers

In recent years ephedra products have received a great deal of bad press in the media. A number of deaths have been supposedly linked to these compounds. The fact that in most cases the individuals where megadosing, taking other drugs, and/or had a history of heart problems has been conveniently ignored. Since it’s a stimulant, these products should not be taken by anyone with heart or nervous system problems. And like virtually all drugs, megadosing is only asking for trouble. But for those who use the compound sensibly and have no pre-existing medical problems, the risk of side effects is extremely low. 

Legal and athletic issues

Because of political pressure and bad press, ephedrine products have had to be modified over the last few years. They can no longer be marketed as a fat loss or performance-enhancing product. And the dosage must be no greater than 8mgs per tablet (as opposed to the old standard of 25mgs). In Canada eight of ten provinces have placed ephedra products behind pharmacy counters. You still don’t need a prescription but you will have to ask the pharmacist. In the US, ephedra products are still legal but there is a movement underway to have reclassified as controlled drugs.

Given their stimulant effects it’s not surprising that most sports’ organizations including the IOC (International Olympic Committee) have banned ephedra-containing products. The problem for athletes is that tests have become so effective that many athletes are failing drug tests because they were using a cold medication. Even though the small amount of drug in the over-the-counter cold medication was not enough to boost performance, it was enough to register a positive test. So far most appeals have been turned down.

Legal alternatives

Even though ephedrine is effective for burning fat, as we have just seen it does pose a health risk to certain individuals and is banned by most sports’ federations. There is an alternative, however. Science has made available a number of legal and safe products that will burn body fat just as effective as ephedra products. They are called legal steroid alternatives, and while closely related to anabolic steroids are perfectly safe and not controlled substances.