A Broward County medical examiner revealed Tuesday that a dietary supplement containing the controversial herbal stimulant ephedra probably contributed to the death of Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler. Bechler, 23, died Monday, less than a day after a spring training workout sent his temperature to a fatal 108 degrees. Initial autopsy reports indicate the pitching prospect died of heatstroke that caused multi-organ failure.
Bechler was reportedly taking several pills each day of Xenadrine RFA-1, an over-the-counter weight-loss drug that contains ephedra. Dr. Joshua Perper, the Broward County coroner, said only toxicology tests, which will not be available for at least two weeks, can confirm whether ephedra was in Bechler's system at the time of his death.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 100 people have died following ephedra use. The National Football League, the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the International Olympic Committee have already banned the substance. Ephedra has been linked to insomnia, nervousness, rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack, seizure and stroke.
#DateFormat("02/19/03", "mm/dd/yy")#
