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The Texas Department of Health (TDH), has proposed banning certain ephedra and ephedrine-containing products made by dietary supplement companies, while preserving products of the pharmaceutical indus
try. This interesting--if a bit convoluted--proposal seeks to make the following changes in regulating products in the state of Texas:
-All ephedrine products would become prescription drugs, exce
pt:
-Ephedra (ma huang) products would be exempt only if they are less than 3% alkaloid (read "NO EXTRACTS").
-It would be illegal to sell any ephedra or ephedrine-containing product in combin
ation with combinations with caffeine or caffeine-containing plants including cola, tea or guarana.
-A list of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs made by pharmaceutical companies would be specifically e
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Ephedra Containg Products
-Metabolife 356R (Metabolife International)
-Ripped Fuel (TwinLab Laboratories)
-Extreme Ripped Force (American Bodybuilding)
-Diet Fuel (Twin Laboratories) -GH Fuel (TwinLab Laboratories)
-Herba Fuel (TwinLab Laboratories)
-MetaboLift (TwinLab Labortories)
-ThermiCareR (Met-Rx USA)
-ETA StackR (Nutra Sport)
-Xenadrine RFA-1R (Cytody
ne Technologies)
-Ultimate Orange (Next Nutrition, Inc)
-UltraCuts (BioPlex)
-Vasopro (Mega Pro International)
-Adipokinex (Syntrax Innovations, Inc)
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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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Ephedrine has moderately potent bronchial muscle relaxant properties, and
-therefore is used for symptomatic relief in milder cases of asthmatic
-attack; it is also used to reduce the risk of ac
ute attacks in the treatment
-of chronic asthma. The typical adult dose range is 30-60 mg taken orally,
-three to four times per day, in the form of tablets. Ephedrine in the form
-of nose dr
ops is also widely used to relieve nasal congestion associated
-with upper respitory tract illnesses. It is also used to treat low blood
-pressure, because it constricts blood vessels and stimul
ates certain actions
-of the heart. Common side effects are qualitatively similar to those
-produced by amphetamines and are generally milder.
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Since early 1990, the FDA has issued numerous warnings to consumers of diet products and supplements containing Ephedrine, Ephedra or Ma Huang. In fact, in November 1994, the FDA informed Alliance U.S
.A. that its Natureˇ¦s Nutritional Formula One posed a potential health hazard and was in violation of federal laws designed to protect the public health and even issued a recall of their products due
to their combination of Ma Huang and caffeine containing Kola Nut. Alliance later removed the caffeine containing Kola Nut and was allowed to continue to sell its new product.
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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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