Controlled burn: How ephedrine-based fat-burners work and how you can use them properly

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, Feb-March, 2002 by Beth Sonnenburg

The bottom line is that ephedrine may cause you to bum a few more calories and "rev up" your metabolism slightly. It may also act as an appetite suppressant by affecting the brain's hypothalamus, which regulates hunger and satiation.

In addition to metabolic effects, EAs work as bronchodilators. "Ephedra [ephedrine] acts on the bronchial smooth muscles to promote relaxation during asthmatic attacks," explain Jacqueline Berning and Suzanne Steen in the Journal Nutrition for Sport & Exercise (Aspen, 1998). Hence, you'll often find synthetic ephedrine and pseudoephedrine in over-the-counter medications for asthma, hayfever and nasal congestion.

Ephedrine can definitely be effective in weight loss. Honestly, you'd be hard-pressed to find a fitness competitor who doesn't use such products for an extra metabolic kick before a competition. If used as part of a healthy, balanced diet and exercise regimen, a low to moderate dose of ephedrine just might give you that fat-burning boost you've been looking for as long as you don't experience any side effects.

Warning sings

Ephedrine interacts with many other substances and can be potentially dangerous for users with a pre-existing medical condition of which they may not even be aware. However, implicating ephedrine in a serious reaction is hardly a black-and-white issue. "It is very difficult to establish a direct causal link between an 'event' and ephedra usage," notes Dr. Morris. "Essentially, the older you are and the more medical conditions you have, particularly involving the cardiovascular or central nervous system, the more likely you are to experience an adverse event."

These include increased blood pressure, arrhythmias [heart rate irregularities], insomnia, nervousness [anxiety], tremors, headaches, seizures, heart attacks and strokes, explains Barke. You'll find hundreds of "adverse event reports" such as these on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's website, but such events are self-reported by consumers and difficult to authenticate. Countless sports organizations have banned the substance, including the International Olympic Committee, NCAA and the NFL.

Further, individual susceptibility varies greatly -- while one person may experience very few or no side effects, another may feel sick, jittery and dizzy. "This is where good old-fashioned common sense may be lifesaving. If intolerance to ephedra is experienced, it is not wise to continue using it," Dr Morris warns.

The right dose for you

To determine the amount of ephedrine to take, calculate the total milligrams of EAs listed on the product label. The recommended dose per day (24 hours) ranges from 20 mg to 90 mg of EAs total. Start slow, perhaps at one-half of one pill per day Gradually increase it and back off if you experience any negative side effects. Do not exceed a total of 90 mg EAs per day.

The amount of ephedrine per dose varies greatly from product to product, so you'll need to carefully check the label to determine dosage. Additionally, "Despite what is listed on the label, the actual amount of ephedra alkaloid present in the product can vary," says Dr. Morris. "What you see is not always what you get." Stick with reliable companies with extensive label information rather than buying a no-name brand off the Internet.