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Higher doses (overdose)
-can cause restlessness and anxiety, dizziness, insomnia, tremor, rapid
-pulse, sweating, respiratory difficulties, confusion, hallucinations,
-delerium, and (very inf
requently) convulsions. The most dangerous symptoms
-of overdose are abnormally high blood pressure and rapid, irregular
-heartbeat. A dose of ephedrine only two to three times the theraputic
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Ephedrine alkaloids are amphetamine-like compounds used in OTC and prescription drugs with potentially lethal stimulant effects on the central nervous system and heart. The FDA has received more than
800 reports of adverse effects associated with use of products containing ephedrine alkaloid since 1994. These serious adverse effects, include hypertension (elevated blood pressure), palpitations (ra
pid heart rate), neurophathy (nerve damage), myopathy (muscle injury), psychosis, stroke, memory loss, heart rate irregularities, insomnia, nervousness, tremors, seizures, heart attacks, and death. Th
e agency has proposed to prohibit the marketing of dietary supplements containing 8 milligrams or more of ephedrine alkaloids per serving.
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Ephedrine is the active ingredient in many diet pills and supplements. Many use the name "thermo", "lean" or "fat burner." Brand names include, Metabolife, MeTrim, Herbalife, Adiphen, Thermalean, Lipo
drene, Zymax, Genicil, Patent Lean, Thermoslim, Ultra Lipo Lean, Trim Life, Hydroxy Cut, Xenadrine, Herbal Phen-Fen, Shapefast, Thermoburn, Thyro-slim, Trim Spa, Natural Trim, Thermo-Lift and many oth
ers.
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These terms are used to refer to the same substance derived from the plant Ephedra. (There are many common names for these evergreen plants, including squaw tea and Mormon tea.) Ephedra is a shrub-lik
e plant that is found in desert regions in central Asia and other parts of the world. The dried greens of the plant are used medicinally. Ephedra is a stimulant containing the herbal form of ephedrine
, an FDA-regulated drug found in over-the-counter asthma medications.
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What is ephedrine? Ephedrine (e-fed¡¦rin) a-methylamino-l phenyl-l propanol, is an alkaloid from the leaves of Ephededra equisetina, E. Sinica, and other species (family Gnetaceae). It is also called E
phedra & Ma Huang, the plant source for the Alkaloid ephedrine. Indigenous to China, India and parts of SoutheastAsia . Products containing ephedrine extracts have according to the FDA, caused hundred
s of illnesses, including heart attacks, seizures, strokes and even 15 reported deaths. They are amphetamine-like compounds with powerful and potentially lethal stimulant effects on the central nervou
s system and the heart.
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Recently, the FDA has called for strict limits on the recommended dose and proposed new labeling of products containing ephedrine. The FDA¡¦s proposal would prohibit the marketing of dietary supplement
s containing 8 milligrams or more of ephedrine alkaloids per serving, with warnings against using more than 24 mg per day and using the product for more than SEVEN DAYS. Any such product with claims e
ncouraging short-term excessive intake would be required to list the following statement on its label: ¡§Taking more than the recommended serving may result in heart attack, stroke, seizure or death.¡¨
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