The Big Deal Behind Ephedra

A pill a day keeps liposuction away...or does it?

Ephedra was once a very popular ingredient in weight loss and sports performance supplements all over the world, and a very common and effective replacement for liposuction.

It was banned by the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 2004 due to dangerous, adverse side effects. This Supreme Court ruling has been overturned once, allowing pharmaceutical companies to use up to 10mg of Ephedra in their products. It was again overturned to comply with the original blanket ban on Ephedra use in the United States. This back-and-forth of rulings has had many people asking, "What's the big deal?"

In truth, Ephedra has been determined to be the cause of many, many adverse side effects and complications since it became popular in the 1980's. However, most manufacturers and advertisers failed to advise their consumers of the potential dangers involved with using Ephedra, and, when an influx of medical emergencies occurred in users of weight loss supplements containing ephedrine, the FDA was forced to investigate.

With some very solid reasoning behind their decision to ban the drug, Ephedra is no longer available as a weight loss supplement on the retail market in the United States. Once again, cosmetic surgery has begun to become one of the most popular ways to shed pounds and fat deposits quickly.

Ephedra has been directly linked with the following side effects in users - heart attack - stroke - jitters/anxiety/psychosis - heart palpitations - hypertension - insomnia - dehydration - tremors and seizures - malnourishment due to excessive appetite suppression

Although Ephedra's blanket ban makes it impossible to obtain the product in the traditional retail industry (including conventional health stores, drug stores, and even some grocery chains), it is still possible to purchase it through use of the Internet. Not all countries in the world followed suit in the ban of Ephedra, and thus some European websites can legally sell Ephedra supplements and offer to ship the product to American customers - making it pertinent for everyone to be aware of the dangers of Ephedra even if it is not so readily available in your particular region.

With enough side effects to be comparable to plastic surgery, there have to be other alternatives for most people, so talk to your doctor.

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