Active Low-Carber Forums - View Single Post - Ephedra: Is It Safe? Where's the Proof?

Dangers of Ephedra There are many resources to look up what dangers there are in ephedra, if one does a search for them. Ephedra,Ephedrine,pseudo-ephidrine, ma huang (ephedra plant), all have been shown to cause problems in individuals. The question would be... were these individuals who may have had other health problems/conditions that with the ephedra that attributed to their deaths/injuries? IMHO, ANYTHING can be abused/misused if not used in the manner for which it was intended or not used according to instructions. There are always going to be ppl with sensitivities to certain products. I got the following off of the net :

Quote:

FDA statement on street drugs containing botanical ephedrine FDA is warning consumers not to purchase or consume phedrine-containing dietary supplements with labels that often portray the products as apparent alternatives to illegal street drugs such as "ecstasy." Possible adverse effects of ephedrine range from clinically significant effects such as heart attack, stroke, seizures, psychosis, and death, to clinically less significant effects that may indicate the potential for more serious effects (for example, dizziness, headache, gastrointestinal distress, irregular heartbeat, and heart palpitations). Ingredient panels on these products may list ma huang, Chinese ephedra, ma huang extract, ephedra, Ephedra sinica, ephedra extract, ephedra herb powder, or epitonin, all of which indicate a source of ephedrine.

The thing is, the Chinese and other Eastern cultures have been using ephedra for thousands of years. I have used ephedra/ephedrine/pseudo-ephedrine based products for treatment of asthma.EPHEDRA:FRIEND OR FOE
I think a person should check out both sides of the issue. For some it may not cause any problems, but there are those unlucky few who will suffer major health problems, sometimes death due to side effects. The question is: how does one know which it'll be for them? Anyone considering taking this,please read up on the pros & cons, & if you do take it~ take it wisely~ I will get off my soapbox now~