Reading Diet Pill Ingredients To Avoid Ephedra

Obesity is a problem which usually requires long term treatment to not only lose weight but to keep it off. Prescription and OTC (over the counter) weight loss medications are available and are very effective. Although weight loss pills are not for everyone many people do qualify for prescription drug use. Some prescription and OTC weight loss drugs do produce side effects. Some are mild and others can cause some serious long term side effects. Although most weight loss pills are generally safe to use, it is important to closely examine the ingredients on the label and avoid these harmful side effects. A prime example of one of these dangerous ingredients is ephedra.

Ephedra is a drug derived from a Chinese evergreen plant called ma huang. The Chinese have used ma huang for the past 5,000 years as a treatment for asthma, hay fever and the common cold. Once the Native Americans discovered ma huang they brewed it and drank it as tea. However, it wasn’t until modern times that ephedra was used as an energy booster as well as a weight loss supplement. Ephedra stimulates the brain, constricts the blood vessels, increases heart rate, and raises blood pressure, making it a powerful energy booster. It also expands the bronchial tubes making it easy for someone with asthma or respiratory problems to breathe, so it does have some positive aspects.

Ephedra has been known to be an effective weight loss supplement and its power was magnified when taken with aspirin or caffeine. Although ephedra was definitely an effective product, the dangerous side effects outweighed its health benefits. Some reported side effects were, perfuse perspiration, vomiting, dehydration, headaches, trembling, insomnia, itchy scalp, insomnia, irregular heartbeat, seizures, and often times heart attack, stroke and even sudden death. In 2002, after a long investigation, the Department of Justice forced a company called Metabolife (the largest producers of ephedra) to submit reports of over 15,000 ephedra related cases. As a result, ephedra was banned and declared illegal by the Food and Drug Administration on April 12, 2004.

The banning of ephedra by the FDA is an extreme case; however, you should be cautious when using weight loss supplements. Weight loss medications do work and are a powerful tool to use. Make sure you examine the ingredients carefully and be sure to follow the directions. Here are a few topics you should discuss with your doctor when reading diet pill ingredients.

• Addiction- Today, prescription medications that treat obesity are considered to be “controlled substances”. In other words, your doctor is required by law to follow strict guidelines when prescribing medications that could be addicting.
• Tolerance- In most cases, weight loss seems to cease after about 6 months of taking weight loss medication. When this happens, you develop what is known as “tolerance” for the medication you are using. Unfortunately, it is not known whether or not the slowing of weight loss is due to a developed tolerance or if the medication you are using has reached its effective limit.
• Side effects- The side effects of most weight loss medications are usually mild but unpleasant. As your body begins to adjust to the medication the side effects tend to decrease. It’s rare that any serious or fatal side effects will occur, especially when you follow directions.

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