Ephedra Diet Pills
Ephedra- based fat burners and other weight loss supplements have been regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since early 1990, when it issued several warnings to consumers. This is due to the various adverse medical conditions caused by ephedrine extracts, such as rapid and irregular heartbeats, increase in blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks, and seizures. In some instances, there were also reports of anxiety and depression psychosis, paranoia and memory loss. There have been at least 15 reported deaths associated with the use of diet pills that contain ephedra.
Ephedrine is a compound found in the plant ephedra (also called Ma Huang, squaw tea and Mormon tea). Ephedra plants are often found in the desserts of Central Asia and other countries. It is a stimulant that has been found to be effective in short term weight loss.
Ephedrine, which is the main ingredient of ephedra have amphetamine-like effects which may be disastrous to the heart and the central nervous system, if taken frequently and in large doses. There are many companies that blend ephedrine with other stimulants such as caffeine and market these products as energy boosters and fat burners.
Side Effects of Ephedra
Since ephedra by itself is already a potent stimulant, mixing it with other ingredients such as caffeine increases its lethal effects on the heart and the nervous system. In severe cases, it can lead to neuropathy or damage to the nerves, hypertension, stroke, heart palpitations, nervousness, insomnia, heart attacks, seizures and death. The FDA intends to regulate the use of weight loss supplements containing more than 8 milligrams of ephedrine per serving. Its recommended use of these products should not exceed more than 24 mg a day for a maximum use of seven days. Products with ephedrine are also required to have a warning on their labels that taking more than the recommended daily dose could result to heart attack, stroke, seizure or death.
As a stimulant, ephedra does increase the level of energy and the rate of metabolism, which is good for immediate weight loss. However, due to the risks associated with continued use of products that contain ephedra, these products should not be used for longer periods. Thus there can be no guarantee of permanent weight loss from using ephedra-based weight loss products.
Conclusion
The market is flooded with diet supplements claiming to be the ultimate solution to weight loss. Most of these products use stimulants in order to increase metabolism and burn fats fast. However, if these products contain ephedrine extracts, using such products can pose great health risks. This is such a high price to pay just to lose a few pounds.

There are better alternatives that you can use to lose pounds fast. Phen375, for example, is a popular fat burner which has all the synthetic ingredients that can contribute to weight loss, and yet are not as toxic to the body and the mind as ephedra. It is manufactured under FDA approved laboratories, and so the highest quality and safety are assured. The best proof of Phen375’s efficacy and safety are in the thousands of people who have already benefited from the product.
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