At issue here is the current situation, where many tasks, nutritional supplements can make wild claims about almost anything and get away with it simply by adding a disclaimer that those claims have not been reviewed or approved by the FDA or other government agency.

We would naturally view with skepticism nor buy a set of wings that claimed we could jump off a building and fly viewing those claims as preposterous. We're only too happy however to ignore the reality offered by this disclaimer. This is because we are so desperate for a solution to our weight control problem we will conveniently ignore a disclaimer with very significant information. This disclaimer is saying that everything said about the products effectiveness and safety has never been verified are validated!

Sure, there's probably loads of testimonials. Testimonials however aren't solid data but opinions by people who may or may not have a vested interest in the product. The point is that we simply do not know if a product is safe or effective simply from testimonials. To hear the Ephedra proponents, there is no other product that comes anywhere close to the effectiveness of this ancient Chinese herb. The claim is that over the course of just a couple of months Ephedra, along with other natural products such as caffeine can help someone lose 5 to 10% of their body weight. For someone 150 pounds, this translates to a 30 pound weight loss or almost one half pound per day over a two month period.

What they don't tell you however is the reason the food and drug administration has been working diligently to remove Ephedra from the market. The reasons this natural herb was removed from the market was due to common complaints of headache, irritability, restlessness,nausea, increased heart rates and vomiting. In extreme cases where high doses of Ephedra was used, an increase in blood pressure, cardio rhythm disorders, strokes, permanent brain damage and even death has been associated with this weight-loss supplement.

So is Ephedra our best hope is a weight-loss product or is it a dangerous substance as claimed by the government? The answer of course is probably someplace in the middle. There's no doubt that this is Chinese herb has been in use, at least in China for centuries. This doesn't make it necessarily safe however, for Americans in our overweight condition and eating habits.

While it appears that Ephedra may actually be a good weight loss supplement, it's clear that it has been subject to abuse which has caused serious physical symptoms and even death. As consumers, we should be wise enough to recognize that just because a product is packaged as natural, or claimed as used for centuries, doesn't make it safe, effective or right for an individual. Words like Natural and Organic Do Not Necessarily Mean Safe or Effective.

In the end, we're left with the reality that only lifestyle changes can truly deliver the results we desire. Only by eating less and exercising more can we expect to gain control of our weight once and for all.