A few weeks back I heard that Ephedra may be allowed back on the
market. What's the current status on this subject, and can we look
forward to seeing products such as Hydroxycut and Ripped Fuel w/
Ephedra in stores soon?

Hello f16chevy-ga,

I have found a number of articles from within the last 2 weeks that
say the the ?Ephedra Ban? has been lifted. However, it looks like the
FDA is still going to try to get it banned again.

A Utah Judge lifted the ban on April 14th, 2005. The Judges name was
Tena Campbell.

The reason Ephedra was removed from the market is because people using
Ephedra were losing 5 to 8 pounds a week, and the FDA said it was
unhealthy, and claimed it was responsible for dozens of deaths.

Part of the ruling also stated that? ?Among other things the court
clarified that the FDA must follow the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health
and Education Act (DSHEA) and can not treat dietary supplements like
drugs or medical devices.?

Therefore, companies who sell Ephedra based products with 10mg or less
can resume selling Ephedra Supplements.

http://www.free-press-release.com/news/200506/1119568892.html
http://www.free-press-release.com/news/200506/1119312497.html
http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2005/6/emw249911.htm

More News Stories about it here:
http://news.google.com/news?q=ephedra%20&num=100&hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&safe=off&sa=N&biw=1008&tab=wn

You can find Ephedra products here:
http://www.worldclassnutrition.com/
http://www.ephedra10mg.com/

Now, on a personal note. I?m a 23-year-old relatively healthy female.
I?m not that overweight, and I have a good amount of energy. I took
Hydroxycut for a while a couple years ago, and I can tell you I was
shaky, faint, and weak from the Ephedra. It could defiantly cause
adverse side effects. So, and I?ll put this in caps to make my point?

***PLEASE CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE TAKING ANY KIND OF EPHEDRA
SUPPLEMENT TO SEE IF IT?S RIGHT FOR YOU!!! YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE IT
WON?T INTERFERE WITH YOUR BODY CHEMISTRY AND CONDITIONS YOU MAY HAVE,
AND WON?T CONFLICT WITH ANY MEDICATIONS YOU ARE ON. ***

That being said?

If this answer requires further explanation, please request
clarification before rating it, and I'll be happy to look into this
further.

Nenna-GA
Google Answers Researcher

Thanks for the help!

As a long time user and advocate of vitamins, herbs and alternative
natural medicine, I'd like to add that I too have used a supplement
containing ephedra. In my case it was Formula One, made by Nature's
Nutrition, and I actually still have a supply of it as I stocked up
before the ban. One capsule contains 12 mg. naturally occurring
ephedra in a blend of other herbs. I rarely use more than one capsule
at a time, though I do sometimes take two in a day. The maximum safe
dosage for ephedra has been set by herbalists at 100 mg. per day, and
it is suggested that it not be used continuously, but intermittently.

I like Formula One, not for dieting because I'm not overweight, but
because it does indeed boost energy and aid in concentration without,
in my case, any unusual or unpleasant side effects whatsoever. By the
way, I am a 55 year old female, and have been using this supplement
regularly without ill effect since 1992. However, I did have one
friend who didn't care for it, said it made her feel shaky and
jittery, so I would definitely agree that each person's body chemistry
is unique, and you should listen to your own body's signals when using
*any* substance.

You may already know this, but I'd also like to comment that the whole
herb *ephedra* is NOT the same as the laboratory derived compound
"ephedrine."  The confusion between these two words is unfortunate and
frustrating, and is what has led to the completely unwarranted
hysteria (and ban) over *ephedra."

The fact is, these two words are NOT synonyms. The judge who reversed
the ban clearly understood that it was not *ephedra* that was the
culprit in all these reports of adverse reactions, but the chemical
"ephedrine" that had been misused. *Ephedra* as it is used in herbal
supplements, is a Chinese plant, Ma Huang, that has been used safely
for over 5000 years. Like any substance, knowledge and prudent use are
in order, but it is not dangerous in any way unless seriously misused.

Thank you for your kind rating and tip. I'm glad I could be of help!

Nenna-GA