May 18, 2001

Despite the fact that Ephedra may pose serious health risks, the dietary supplement is experiencing tremendous success. Ephedra, also known as Ma Huang, is an herbal supplement originally sold in small health food stores. Today, however, Ephedra can be found in larger stores including Wal-Mart. Because it is considered a food item, Ephedra is not subjected to the Food and Drug Administration's dose limitations or other regulations.

The FDA is considering, however, placing stronger restrictions on Ephedra after learning of 1,200 adverse events associated with the drug. Researchers from the New England Journal of Medicine studied 140 of those adverse events to determine how they were related to Ephedra use. They found that 62% of the adverse events may have been caused by Ephedra use. Many of the patients in the group complained of hypertension and heart palpitations. However, more severe reactions included strokes and seizures, leading to 10 deaths and leaving 13 people permanently disabled.

The consumer group Public Citizen is asking the FDA to ban Ephedra. Makers of Ephedra products claim that the substance is safe and that any complaints are based on erroneous data. In fact, an industry-funded study found few side effects associated with Ephedra. Carol Boozer, the author of the industry study, commented, "We didn't see any significant adverse events." Ephedra is said to suppress users' appetites and boost energy. Some studies have shown that taking Ephedra does aid in weight loss, but to date, no studies demonstrate that such weight loss is sustainable. Makers of Ephedra recommend that consumers take no more than 100 milligrams a day. The FDA has considered a much lower daily dose, but the agency has yet to take any official action.

Consumers who have a history of high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, strokes, or seizures should not take Ephedra. Many medical health professionals recommend that even healthy patients avoid Ephedra.