Ephedra is a compound that is often used in weight loss products. It is actually one of the world's oldest medicines, with documented usage in China occurring over 5,000 years ago. The drug has once again found popularity, this time in America's search for the perfect weight loss drug. It is known to cause many changes in the body; an increased metabolism, increased weight loss, relaxation of the air passages in the lungs, and increased energy are some of the effects reported. One of the major distributors of ephedra was a weight loss drug that is known as Fen-phen. This drug consists of a combination of ephedra and St. John's Wort, a natural anti-depressant agent. Over the past few years, plenty of other weight loss drugs on the market also included ephedra. Xenadrine RFA-1, Stacker 2, Stacker 3, and Ripped Fuel all contained ephedra.

However, there is a dark side to ephedra. It has been recently banned for all usage by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States of America. In addition to its weight loss purposes, ephedra also causes some negative side-effects that can be quite severe. Ephedra is known to raise the heart rate, as well as the blood pressure of a person that ingests it. Anybody with high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease can be seriously in trouble if they take this supplement. A whopping eight hundred people have reported injury due to this weight loss drug, and a full fifty people have died from it. This includes Steve Bechler, an athlete who pitched for the Baltimore Orioles that took the drug during spring training and lost his life. An autopsy showed that indeed, ephedra had contributed to his death. Ten days after this shocking event, the FDA went into action, banning the use of ephedra in all weight loss supplements. The serious consequences reported by those who were damaged by the drug include hypertension, stroke, heart attacks, seizures, and full-on cardiac arrest. As you can see, this weight loss supplement's risks surely outweigh its benefits. If you or someone you know is taking this drug, its crucial to stop taking it. There are many ways to lose weight, and there are definitely other supplements that do not wreak havoc on your body like ephedra does. While the drug is illegal, it is still commonly sold, most often online but at the occasional party store. It's important to realize exactly what a detriment this drug can be to your health. Fitness should not come at the cost of poor health.