Image seems to be everything in this day and age. Women and men alike are looking at their appearance and overall weight and asking ?how can I improve the way I look?? This is all well and good if those individuals then undertake an effective diet plan and exercise regime. It is also OK if those people choose to boost their metabolism with natural supplements, but many simply go out and buy Ephedra weight loss products without thinking about the consequences in the short and long term. However, to fully understand that, we have to look at what Ephedra is and what it can do to the body.



What Is Ephedra?

The substance you get when you buy is also known as ma huang and has been a part of Chinese traditional medicine for over 5000 years. As such, it is a traditional herbal remedy but it was initially used for the treatment of allergies, particularly hay fever, and asthma. The Chinese would go and take cuttings from the plants that were native to their homeland before drying it and using it as tea and also in a ground form. Although there were many species of plant within the Ephedra genus, most of them did not have a major effect in these remedies but those that did contain alkaloids, which is where the potency of the herb lies.

Today, the components of Ephedra can be found in all sorts of remedies. Ephedrine, alkaloids and pseudoephedrine can be found in cold remedies, decongestants, blood pressure medicines and asthma. These will obviously not help you with weight loss but then you would struggle to buy Ephedra weight loss products in the United States today anyway. They are currently illegal as a result of the side effects that have been reported over the years. The FDA (Food And Drug Administration) banned them in 2004 and subsequent challenges in Federal Court have failed to get this ban overturned.

Side effects found to be associated with Ephedra in weight loss products include addiction, fainting, heart palpitations, skin reactions, irregular heartbeat, heart attacks, strokes, insomnia, vomiting, dehydration, trembling and irritability, amongst others. Some individuals have even died from using it. However, the one thing it had been proved to aid was weight loss. When you combine that with all of the other effects then you can see that the risk is not worth it.

Your Options

As you cannot legally buy Ephedra weight loss products in the United States, many individuals have sought them abroad in countries that will still offer them for sale. However, you have no need to travel to buy Ephedra products when you can find products at home that will have the same weight loss capabilities without any of the side effects. All of them are safe and some have also been FDA approved. One such example is Theobromine. It is a viable alternative that gives the same fat burning effect, as well as appetite suppression, but without the side effects. If you are looking to buy Ephedra weight loss products then check out Theobromine containing products, such as Phenphedra, instead.