Is Ephedra Useful?
Products containing Ephedra are used primarily for energy and as an aid to weight loss. There is no question that the ephedrine alkaloids in Ephedra act as a mild stimulant, and that the product is useful for this purpose in a manner similar to caffeine. Research has focused on whether Ephedra is useful as an aid in weight loss.
Most formulations of Ephedra products that are intended for use as a weight loss aid contain Ephedra and other herbs, and a number combine Ephedra with guarana or other sources of caffeine. The combination of Ephedra and caffeine is the result of a number of studies conducted in The Netherlands on the efficacy of ephedrine and caffeine for weight loss. Although most of the early studies on the effect of Ephedra and caffeine, or ephedra alone, on weight loss were either very small studies or were proprietary studies by companies marketing Ephedra, data from larger and more long-term studies are ongoing.
These studies confirm the results of the early studies, and show that consumers can accomplish significant weight loss through use of Ephedra or Ephedra plus caffeine products. One researcher has conducted clinical studies on the efficacy of Ephedra products in over 400 patients for over 6 months, and has concluded not only that these products are useful for this purpose, but that they are as useful as any prescription products now available and are safer, given the lack of any significant side effects in the study.
Excess weight is a serious and growing problem in the United States and many other countries. Excess weight and obesity are directly tied to serious public health risks, including diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, coronary heart disease and stroke. Approximately 280,000 deaths are attributable to obesity each year in the United States alone, exceeded only by deaths attributable to smoking. Obesity accounts for approximately 4-10 percent of the U.S. healthcare costs, and healthcare costs for 1995 alone were estimated to be $51.6 billion. In the eyes of weight loss experts, even the loss of 5 pounds for someone who is overweight is “significant” in terms of the health benefits that such a loss would be expected to produce.
The available data show that Ephedra is not only safe when appropriately consumed, but that Ephedra products have a positive effect for some people who are overweight.
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