Note: Ephedra was banned on April 12, 2004 by the federal government.
Wow, I live in a world where more people die of alchohol, cigarrettes, and sales of over the counter drugs than ephedra but because of the incredible spin off and bad press, ephedra is being banned. Before the FDA got into it, Illinois, New York, and California had decided to ban ephedra (ma huang, ephedrine).
Why, because of a few instances of people who claim that ephedra has contributed to the deaths or injuries of people. If only the supplement companies contributed enough money like the phrmaceutical companies do to the Congress, we wouldn't be having the ban.
By April 2004, the only epehdra you will see if the stockpiles of product that many ravid hardcore users have put in their house, as ephedra was easily proven to be one of the most effective weight loss products. But due to many people overdosing or using the product wrong, the public opinion was quite negative on the product. Add to it a high profile case, like Steve Bechler, which everyone associated with him blamed his death on ephedra, and you get all the negative publicity needed for the FDA to act.
"Xenadrine did not cause or contribute to Mr. Bechler's death... He died of a heat stroke precipitated by his morbid obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease, adverse weather conditions, physical exertion, and inadequate screening, monitoring and medical supervision, NOT EPHEDRA."
However, they always, as usual, neglect to tell everyone that, in the case regarding Steve Bechler, the Baltimor Orioles pitcher, a forensic investigation conducted by former New York City Medical Examiner Dr. Michael M. Baden concluded that "Xenadrine did not cause or contribute to Mr. Bechler's death."
At the time of his death, Mr. Bechler weighed approximately 320 pounds and on February 16, when Mr. Bechler collapsed on the playing field and later died of heat stroke, the temperature on the field was 81 degrees and the humidity 75 percent.
Based on these facts, Dr. Baden concluded that Mr. Bechler "died of a heat stroke precipitated by his morbid obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease, adverse weather conditions, physical exertion, and inadequate screening, monitoring and medical supervision." Funny how they forget to mention this when they scream that he died because of Xenadrine and ephedra.
Never the less, ephedra will be gone in three months or so. The FDA issued a Consumer Alert on December 30th, 2003, which advises consumers to stop using ephedra products and warning manufacturers that the days of ephedra will be gone soon.
Supplement Guru Peter Van Mol (AKA: Big Cat) Thoughts On The Ban:
Ephedra Ban
Yes, the Ephedra ban, that seems to be the big issue right now, huh? Now I could go on a rant about how the FDA isn't the least bit consistent in what they do, what a shame it is they took away a perfectly safe and effective supplement and why on earth they don't address more important issues. But it seems the press is doing a good job of highlighting the debate.
The FDA blames the supplement companies, the companies blame the FDA, they both make good points and this debate will ultimately solve absolutely nothing.
All the screaming voices in outrage at the ban, and all the under-educated over-hyped anti-supplement lobbyists doing the opposite, result in a status quo and nothing will change. Let's face it, ephedra is banned. So what is left for me to say on that?
On the ban itself, absolutely nothing. I would be preaching to the choir anyway. But let's have a look at the results of a ban, so we can all look back next year and say 'We told you so'. Because realistically what will come of it? A thriving black market for starters, no doubt. I for one am not that upset.
Results Of The Ban
Most ephedra products can't hold a candle to real ephedrine Hcl. And here in Europe where ephedra has been regulated for some time, it has been easier to inform people of benefits and dangers, and steer them toward actual ephedrine Hcl as opposed to all this ma huang crap. Prices will be a lot cheaper as well.
Every pharmacist in the world buys ephedrine Hcl in bulk at very low cost, and a lot of that will no doubt make it to the black market at next to no cost. So I don't necessarily think this ban is so bad for our community. Cheaper and more effective products.
But lets look at the people that are going to feel the effects of the ban pretty soon. The supplement companies and the public health (FDA's responsibility , isn't it?).
Supplement companies are out a major plus. Ephedra, though not really as good as actual ephedrine, was one of the few OTC supplements that by far outweighed the benefits of its illegal counterparts. There are so many regulated or illegal drugs for fat loss out there like clenbuterol, albuterol, phentermin, DNP, thyroid hormones and god knows what else. And none of them was as safe, or as effective as ephedra/ephedrine.
Sure, the lot of them were more potent, but only ephedra was suited for the long term goal of weight loss. And seriously, whoever lost weight to their satisfaction in only 2-3 weeks? No one that I know of. A good diet will easily last 12-20 weeks. Only ephedra maintained its effects over such a period of time. So the initial blow will be quite big. But the industry will rebound.
The initial blow is somewhat overcome by the drastic increase in revenue due to panicked ephedra-loyalists stocking up while they can, which could easily tide them over through the rougher end. And after that, as more people find their way to the black market with cost-effective ephedrine Hcl, the supplement companies will find there are great profits to be made, not in the manufacture of second rate, no-good fatburners, but in legal supplementation to augment ephedrine.
There is a host of legal supplements out there that make ephedrine based products so much more effective. Its not that far a fetch to bring out a product to meet the demand for that, since all these ephedra stacks are now outlawed anyway.
Public health is what I am more concerned about. With the loss of ephedra, the last decent OTC fatburner has exited the stage. And as I stated, mark my words, more and more individuals will find their way to a black market that can supply it at a lower cost. The downside to that is, once you are on the black market, its only a small step to purchasing products that aren't as safe.
It's a small step to clenbuterol, T3 and so on, but what happens when they make it to DNP? The promise of faster fat loss is an enticing one. And DNP is a potentially lethal product. I'm predicting that in future years we will see a lot more weight-loss related deaths that will by far exceed the small number of idiots who did not manage to use ephedra correctly.
And trust me, with the rising epidemics of obesity and Type II diabetes in industrialized nations, the loss of an effective and safe weight loss supplement will place an extra burden on what is already the greatest threat to our health today. It's a ticking time-bomb under our society. And most of the people around us that do not share our beliefs on health and exercise, will die from being too fat, or trying to get leaner.
That, my fellow bodybuilders, is the legacy of the FDA and the government. They do nothing to stimulate exercise and health, but they ban safe and effective fat loss aids, allow the farces of court cases against fast food restaurants and persist in perpetuating the true cause of the epidemic : our own lazy nature.
So what has the FDA achieved realistically? It has managed to ruin the day of the few upstanding citizens that will not purchase ephedrine illegally, it has put out a mortgage on public health, has increased the revenue for people selling things illegally, and the government has lost yet another part of its tax income, from what was a very lucrative business.
The only question I have is how these people can sleep at night doing what they do? Because for the rest its no skin off my back. In the wake of this, we will look back many times on this decision, smile and say 'We told you so'. But who ever listens to the voice of reason?
raven1008@yahoo.com
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