Ephedra and other chinese remedies have been around for over 6000 years, they have a range of benefits from curing the comon cold, to helping asmatics breathe more easier.
Yet Ephedra's future of being used to help speed recovery and weight loss in the sports industry is in Jeopardy.
Ironically, with the games being held in Beijing, this means the authorities are already scared. They have already revised there report on banned substances, and unfortunately for Ephedra, the six thousand year of herbal remedies mean nothing.
Asia's worry, especially China is a repeat of the 1990 Olympics, where head coach Ma Junren, produced a remarkable series of gold medals and record beating atheletes. Was Ephedra to blame?. No, rigorous training and cocktail of turtle blood and caterpillar fungus.
Not everyone is taking the risk seriously. 7-foot-6 Houston Rockets Mao Ying, is quite happy to take Ephedra for the stress fracture he is suffering.
As Feng Shuyong the current China boss said when he was asked about Ephedra and other herbal remedies.
``There's no magical formula of traditional Chinese herbs that once you take them, you can be a superman,'' he said.
