Ephedra is found in various parts of the world such as Central Asia, South America, North Africa and Southwestern North America. This herb was widely used in traditional Chinese medicine to remedy a number of illnesses.
Ephedra is also prescribed for symptoms of cold and flu, including nasal congestion, cough, fever, and chills.
The plant ephedra sinica contains two active ingredients that are responsible for its effects on weight and metabolism. The alkaloids ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are both stimulants and thermogenics that have the capacity to increase metabolism and stimulate the brain, constrict blood vessels and increase heart rate.
Synthetic ephedrine (ephedrine hcl) compounds, such as pseudoephedrine, are widely used in over the counter cold remedies and are regulated as a drug. This is unlike the regulation of ephedrine alkaloids derived from the herb itself. These are regulated as dietary supplements.
Before May 2004 many types of dieting aids contained a variety of ephedra and caffeine. people wanting to lose weight fast would ingest ephedra in an attempt to shed pounds. Despite some scientific studies that show ephedra may speed up a persons weight loss, the overall evidence related to its effectiveness for weight loss, has been inconclusive and very controversial. Studies have confirmed that ephedra can raise blood pressure and other effects that have been conclusively linked to significant and substantial adverse health effects like heart problems and strokes.
Professional sports and and amateur sports are now all on the same page in regard to ephedrine, no use is allowed at all for any reason.
The ban on ephedra was made complete and includes all types of products that contain the ephedra alkaloid ephedrine, you can buy ephedrine here. Chinese physicians are still alllowed to prescribe herbal teas utilizing the raw herb in herbal style remedies.
Particulars of the Ephedra Plant
Ma huang comes from the stems of the Chinese ephedra bush, Ephedra sinica, similar plants are used in India and in the Near East. The ephedra species found in the U.S. has none of the major properties of Chinese ephedra. The American variety of ephedra from the Southwest was popularized by the Mormons in Utah and called Mormon tea. This plant, however, contains none of the pharmacological alkaloids of the Chinese ephedra. the plants are around one and half feet to four feet hight, they typically grow on dry, rocky, or sandy slopes. The many slender, yellow green branches of ephedra have two very small leaf scales at each node.
Ephedra (also known as Ma huang, Chinese Ephedra) is the worlds oldest medicine. The Chinese discovered ephedra more than 5000 years ago. Research has shown that ephedra increases metabolism and helps elevate weight loss, relaxes the air passages in the lungs to help treat asthma and cough, promotes perspiration to help a person recuperate from a minor cold and helps promote urination to help relieve edema. It was probably not used for weight loss until modern, food abundant times.
In contemporary China, ephedra is often a component of a multi-herb cold formula made by boiling ephedra with cinnamon twig, licorice root and almond.
Ephedra event fact 2005: On April 14, 2005, Judge Tena Campbell of the Federal District Court in Utah overturns the FDA's universal ban on ephedra products as a result of a suit brought by the supplement manufacturer Nutraceutical Corporation, which marketed a lower-dose ephedra product. The judge ruled that the FDA had come to their decision by doing a risk-benefit analysis, considered inappropriate for supplements under a 1994 law (called the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA)). Also the DSHEA required dose-specific findings to justify a ban and that the FDA had insufficient evidence to conclude that products with 10 mg or less a day of ephedrine alkaloids posed a risk. As a result, products with 10 mg or less of ephedra alkaloids were allowed back on the market. Members of the supplement industry created a public relations group to oppose the changes.
While ephedra is a organically occurring herb, its principal active ingredient ephedrine can also be synthesized as a medication.
Synthetic ephedrine compounds are widely used in cold and allergy remedies, such as Sudafed. Ephedrine derived from the herb may fall under different regulation. These are regulated as dietary supplements.
In May 2004, the FDA banned the sale of dietary supplements that contain ephedra. Ephedrine and combinations that include caffeine seem to promote increased weight loss typically over a short term time period of about 4-6 months at a rate of about 2 pounds a month. Studies have confirmed that ephedra can raise blood pressure and other effects that have been conclusively linked to significant and substantial adverse health effects like heart problems and strokes.
Professional sports and and amateur sports are now all on the same page in regard to ephedrine, no use is allowed at all for any reason.
The ban on ephedra was made official in 2006 after a few years of back and forth legal wrangling. This does not pertain to teas (which are regulated as a conventional food) or to traditional Chinese herbal remedies prescribed by a traditional Chinese physician.
Plant Description:
The genus Ephedra can be found in the arid and semiarid regions of Asia, Europe, northern Africa, western North America, and South America. Ephedra in the North Americas, refers to several plants in the Ephedraceae family that are commonly found in the American Southwest and Mexico. The evergreen bush grows 2 to 3 feet high with no leaves and photosythesis taking place on the stems. Stems are green, smooth, woody, branching, and very jointed.