Dangers Of Ephedra
The use of ephedra has caused many dangers to some peoples health and in some cases their life. There have been many reports of serious health issues and some deaths caused by products which contain ephedra so the FDA has gotten the Federal court to ban ephedra in the United States. The side effects that have caused health problems are heart attacks, strokes, insomnia, anxiety, seizures, rapid heart rate, irregular heart rate, high blood pressure, nervousness, tremors, hives, itching, allergies, psychosis, nausea, vomiting, death and more. The numbers were so great even when just a little amount, as little as 8 mg per dose, was taken. Ephedra was banned in the United States for the first time in 2003 after there were over 800 reports and of serious illnesses and some deaths caused by ephedra products from 1994 to 2003 reported to the Food and Drug Administration. Everyone did not agree with the FDA so they got together and filed a petition with the Federal court in 2004 to get the ban on ephedra lifted. In 2005 the court finally decided that the FDA did not have enough evidence to prove that ephedra was dangerous if taken in small doses of less than 10 mg. So they lifted the ban on ephedra. The FDA continued to receive more reports of heart attacks and strokes caused by products with ephedra with as little as 8 mg of ephedra per dose. There were over 1,000 reports of hospital emergencies and at least 17 deaths from 1997 to 2006. The FDA decided to have some of the products tested and the results were interesting to say the least. Some of the products contained more ephedra and some contained less ephedra than was stated on the labels of the products. There were even some that contained no ephedra at all. With this information and the reports the they had received, the FDA again went to court and this time the court banned ephedra again in 2006 for the second and hopefully the last time.
Ephedra comes from a shrub (and is also made synthetically) which is found in some of the desert regions of the world. Ephedra is also known as Chinese Ephedra, Herbal Ecstasy, Ma Huang, Squaw Tea, Mormon Tea, Desert Tea, and Epitonin. It has been used as a weight loss product, as an energy booster, and a sports performance booster. Ephedra has been used by the Chinese for over 5,000 years and may just be the first medicine on record. It is for sure one of the first. It has also been used by the Native Americans, Mexicans, and Mormons for many years. As a medicine Ephedra was used for asthma, congestion of the lungs, bronchial tubes, and sinuses, for coughs, common colds, fever, to stop sweat (related to illnesses0, and other medicinal purposes.
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