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Duplication is encouraged. NCCIH has provided this material for your information. It is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your health care provider s.
We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with your health care provider. Home Health Information Ephedra. Common Names: ephedra, Chinese ephedra, ma huang. Latin Names: Ephedra sinica. Ephedra is a low evergreen shrub with small scaly leaves. It has a long history of medicinal use in China and India to treat colds, fever, headaches, coughing, wheezing, and other conditions. The U. Food and Drug Administration FDA banned the sale of dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids stimulant compounds found in Ephedra sinica and some other plants in the United States in Prior to the ban, ephedra was an ingredient in some dietary supplements promoted for weight loss, increased energy, and enhanced athletic performance.
How Much Do We Know? Almost no new research on ephedra has been performed in the years since its use in dietary supplements was banned in the United States. What Have We Learned? However, this benefit was considered insufficient to outweigh the serious risks of these supplements. No studies had assessed long-term effects on weight. The evidence regarding athletic performance was insufficient to allow any conclusions to be reached. Athletes and average people alike started taking ephedra when word started spreading about its ability to aid weight loss and increase energy and alertness.
But just because a supplement comes from natural sources doesn't make it safe. Ephedra can cause a quickened heartbeat and elevated blood pressure. Side effects include heart palpitations, nausea, and vomiting. More than dangerous reactions have been reported with use of the herb. These include heart attacks, strokes, seizures, and sudden deaths. The authors of one analysis concluded that supplements containing ephedra and ephedrine trigger modest short-term weight loss about 2 pounds per month more than placebo.
But none of the 52 trials they looked at lasted more than six months, so there is no evidence to support ephedra use for long-term weight loss. And no studies were found that evaluated ephedra use for enhancing athletic performance.
Data from 50 trials did show, however, that ephedra and ephedrine are associated with 2- to 3-fold increases in psychiatric symptoms such as irritability and anxiety , autonomic symptoms jitteriness, trouble sleeping , upset stomach, and heart palpitations. Study results dashed any claims that dietary supplements containing ephedra or ephedrine can help with long-term weight loss or enhance athletic performance. It was also been banned from U. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.
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