For the last 6-8 years, diet supplements to help us loose weight have flooded the market. Concoctions of caffeine, blood thinners, and herbal extracts, have been combined to help “boost your metabolism,” and “shed the pounds.” Unfortunately, these herbal products are not regulated by the FDA.

An article in The New England Journal of Medicine from 2000, looked further into the potentially fatal side effects of products containing ephedra alkaloids (sometimes called Ma Huang). As I have mentioned in prior articles on natural substances, there is no governing body on herbal supplements. This also means that no research is necessary to prove a supplement’s effectiveness. This does not mean that these substances do not work, but it does mean that there could be side effects we do not know about.

The FDA finally stepped in and proposed limits on the dose and duration of supplements containing ephedra alkaloids. This was in response to a study which reviewed 140 reports of adverse events related to the use of ephedra alkaloids. All factors were considered including: timing of the event in relation to dose and duration of use, patterns of response in reaction to the substance, and any underlying diseases.

The results of this study showed that 31% of the cases studied were considered definitely or probably related to the use of ephedra alkaloids, and an additional 31% were possibly related to ephedra use. The most common side effects were related to nervous system and cardiovascular disorders. Hypertension was the single most common side effect, followed by heart palpitations, tachycardia (a racing heart), stroke, and seizures. Ten events resulted in death, and another 13 people suffered permanent disability from the use of ephedra alkaloids.

Another 2000 study done by the University of Arkansas studied the actual amount of ephedra in supplements. They compared what the label had listed for dosage, to the actual content of 20 different ephedra alkaloid containing supplements. The results were eye opening. Half of the products exhibited discrepancies between the label’s claim for ephedra alkaloid content and actual alkaloid content in excess of 20%. One supplement had over 1000% more ephedra than what was listed on the label, and one supplement had absolutely no ephedra at all.

This is scary, and it proves that just because something is natural, does not mean that it is safe. After all, the most potent toxins in the world are formed naturally by bacteria. Anthrax, and Botulin are both by-products of everyday bacteria. I remember one of my microbiology teachers telling me that a mere 12 grams of Botulin toxin could kill all the people on the planet.

If weight loss and increased energy levels are your goal, try to focus on healthy ways of achieving these goals. Nothing beats a healthy diet, and some good old exercise.

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