Ephedera to be banned

[sammybaby]

I'm sure that most of the folks on this board have already heard this news already, but just in case: the department of Health and Human Services, as well as the FDA, have announced their plans to ban ephedra-based products (http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/12/30/ephedra/index.html).

I can't say I'm completely unhappy about this turn of events. My one experience with ephederine based supplements came in 1998: I took half the recommended dosage of one such "metabolic enhancer" immediately prior to going to the gym. Once there, I found myself able to push myself harder, and for much longer, both in resistance exercises and cardio, and felt a fantastic sense of relaxation once I left. Which, as it turned out, very nearly became a real problem: in my blissed-out state, I came close to wrapping my car around a utility pole, not to mention a couple of other cars.

I haven't touched the stuff since then: I'm wondering if anyone here has had similar experiences, or even contrary ones.

[Anthony Roberts]

I used to run restaurants for a living (before I got recalled to active duty). The hours of the job are among the worst known to man and for some caffeine just stopped doing it after a while.

Somebody discovered a "wonderful" product called "Max-Alerts" which were made from ephedrine. The product came in pill format (looked like tylenol) and could be purchased at just about any gas station. I was told they were used by truckers who needed to stay awake for long drives. before long many of the management staff were using them for long shifts, appetite suppressants, exams, etc. I tried two and didn't really care for the jitteriness, heart palps, and irritability that I experienced.

Another guy I worked with thought they were the wonder drug and sleep substitute. He could work an entire 12 hour shift, go home, hit play station for four hours, sleep for four hours, and wake up ready to go. He loved those things and cycled them 4 days on three days off although he had to increase the dosage as his tolerance built. The last I heard he had trashed his thyroid and developed a hypothyroid condition mostly due to his use of ephedrine. For every one good thing I hear about it, I hear four horror stories.

Good Riddance.

[James Boelter]

All I ever got from ephedra and ephedra based products was the aforementioned irritability and jitteriness. There was some enhanced energy, all right, but my moods were so sour and overtorqued that it did me little good.

As for weight loss, I am convinced that most people consume food out of habit and routine, and will continue to stuff themselves inappropriately whether their appetite has been suppressed or not, and whether they have more 'energy' or not. In fact, they might eat MORE from the 'rebound' effect.

Still, any time the FDA 'bans' something, I disapprove. They banned tryptophan 15 years ago because of 2 deaths caused by contaminated batches imported from Japan, and never re-examined the matter again...please note that the problem was due to contamination, not due to any inherent problem or side effects of tryptophan. This in spite of the fact that tryptophane was the best solution for the graveyard shift sleep/rest dilemma I could ever find (no, melatonin didn't even come close). Plus, I find it highly suspicious that TP was banned mere months before Prozac, a prescription serotonin-reuptake inhibitor, was approved.

In summary, this is simply a political move, not based on any real facts or concern for public health. And millions of dollars will still be spent on cigarettes and alcohol with nary a murmur from our pals at the FDA.

I can't use ephedra since I had an Afib 3 years ago. That said the ban is absurd. The FDA is talking about applying the "safe and effective" drug standard to all supps. Given the minute $ to be made compared to the drug mega-industry most supps will never make market: there not necessary and hard to prove safe, let alone effective. A bunch of safe fat asses in DC will be deciding if it's "worth" OKing the next Creatine -if they don't ban it next.

[Vbrown]

Considering that Tylenol (including generic) kills a few more folks per year than ephedrine, and due to the some base cause (not reading the label, taking too much), I'm not really impressed with the FDA.

Recall that the FDA are the same folks who let Fen/Phen out and about, as well as a host of other meds that stack the dead up like cordwood.

FWIW,

Vince

[JasonE]

I think the FDA should stay out it. It's a stupid ban, as plenty of manufacturers have also found safe ways to use it in products.

One of my favorites was Hydroxycut; never a jitter or weird emotional state. I'd take 2 when I was dragging ass, then 1/2 hour later I was fine. About 4 hours later I'd start to wear down a little again, and I'd coast through the rest of my shift just fine. Great stuff!

It's been a few years since I took it, but I don't see the problem with leaving it on the shelf.

Personally, I think a lot of the concern is related to the use of ephedrine-containing products in the manufacture of street drugs.

[Shaf]

The Ephedra/Ephedrine band. You knew it was coming, there have been rumblings for years. The reasons are complex, but have to do with the following (in my opinion)

1. High media exposure of cases where ephedra has had bad side effects, up to and including death.
2. Ephedrine is on of the ingredients in illegal stimulants
3. Ephedrine does act as a thermogenic, and the drug companies don't want the competition.

GHB has demonized for similar reasons. GHB is addictive, though. That and the fact that it's one of the only substances that can drop a human into REM sleep was enough for the drug manufacturers (who are developing sleep drugs that put you into REM sleep) to pressure the government to make it illegal. The whole date rape thing was just icing on the cake.

However, lets think about things that are far more dangerous and have further reaching effects on health

-tobacco
-alcohol
-sugar
-cell phones (contribute to car accidents)
-television ( the amount of television watched daily correlates with obesity levels)

And of course the fact that inattention and incompetency on the part of medical professionals kills more people than damn near everything every year.

[bob_stra]

Herbalism is a topic I'm very interested in, though I can't claim any special expertise (yet!).

I caught one of your American PBS special on TV here last week re: natural medicine.

As I understand it, the FDA doesn't insist that supplements etc are licenced for safety of efficiency? Is that correct?

Regardless, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (Oz version of FDA) has / is banning ephedra too, despite the fact that ALL supplements are required by LAW to be tested for safety. Hell, we have LAWN CLIPPINGS that are REQUIRED by LAW to be proven safe (Aust L). I have no idea who'd want to eat lawn, but there you go ;-)

I think there's a lot of hysteria on the issue, to be honest. And frankly, if I wanna take Ephedra or asbestos, that's my business. Simply provide a watchdog to consumers to ensure a minimum level of quality. Let us know what's happening, be our eyes and ears. But leave us the choice.

Having said all that, I'm reading a booklet on western medicinal herbalism at the moment ("Happy High Herbs"). One of the points it makes about Ephedra is that in its natural form, the herb is buffered by other chemicals, thus making it less potent that the pharmaceutical grade stuff. Also, the traditional uses, doses and applications are very different to what it says on the back of the bottle.

Bottom line - "The foundation of all drug abuse prevention is knowledge" - Robert Dupont MD.

PS: Did you know that you can make a opiate from lettuce leaves? People die from opiates. What next - ban lettuce?