Products containing the extract of the ephedra plant appeared on the US market in the 1980s and were marketed as weight loss and performance-enhancing supplements. And, as is often the case with sports nutrition products, at that time there was virtually no scientific research confirming the effectiveness and absence of negative consequences of ephedrine’s action on the body.
In the 1990s, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was forced to pay attention to ephedrine due to the enormous number of complaints about negative side effects, among which were even fatal cases of young healthy individuals. Several professional athletes also fell victim.
Main thoughts:
Ephedra extract, according to FDA classification, falls into the category of dietary supplements that are considered safe by default. This means that before being released to the market, products containing it do not have to undergo strict efficacy and safety testing. Thorough research is conducted only when there are victims of its use. Unpleasant, but a fact.
By the way, the same situation applies to almost all types of sports nutrition and fat burners, in particular: the belief that they have been tested for safety is a misconception. Read The Harm of Fat Burners: What Makes Natural Supplements Dangerous?.
In the 90s, after numerous reports of side effects from the use of ephedrine, the FDA commissioned an investigation by one of the research centers into its effectiveness and safety 14.
Scientists and doctors studied the results of all scientific experiments regarding the effectiveness of ephedrine for weight loss and in sports. Below, we will introduce you to their conclusion.
The extract of ephedra belongs to a group of drugs that are not required to undergo thorough safety checks before being released to the market
Recommended: Fat burners for weight loss: reviews from doctors, athletes, and.. those losing weight
What is ephedra and what is it used for?
The ephedra plant – also known as Ma Huang, joint fir, and kuzmin’s herb – is a small shrub that has been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times.
In traditional Chinese and Indian medicine, the branches of ephedra were used to treat colds, shortness of breath, and as a diuretic. In modern medicine, medications based on ephedra are made for the treatment of certain respiratory diseases.
There are about 50 species of ephedra. Some grow in deserts, others in the humid climate of the Mediterranean, and even in the harsh conditions of North America. However, not all of them contain sufficient amounts of the active substance ephedrine – only about half.
The active ingredient of ephedra – ephedrine, alkaloids of ephedra – is a stimulant of the nervous system, similar in properties to amphetamines: it increases heart rate, blood pressure, and relaxes the bronchi, facilitating breathing.
Recommended: Diuretics in bodybuilding: types and mechanisms of action
The effect of ephedrine on the body
In moderate doses, the effects of ephedrine on the body manifest as a decrease in appetite, increased concentration, attention, performance, improved mood, and reduced fatigue. It is also beneficial for weight loss, as it enhances the use of fat for energy and has a thermogenic effect.
The active use of ephedra extract for weight loss and improving performance in sports began in the 90s. And although it has some fat-burning effect, it can be very dangerous to health and even life.
Ephedrine or ephedra extract is a stimulant of the nervous system, the action of which manifests in increased heart rate, blood pressure, and easier breathing
1 How beneficial is the fat burner ephedrine for weight loss?
The benefits of ephedrine for weight loss are explained by several mechanisms of its action.
Firstly, when it is consumed, the oxygen consumption of the body increases. The more oxygen there is, the more active the processes of fat oxidation (burning them for energy) are.
Interestingly, with a single dose of ephedrine, oxygen consumption increases for 30-60 minutes; while with prolonged use (4-12 weeks) – up to 1-3 hours. This indicates that, unlike many other fat burners, the longer ephedrine is used, the more effective it is for weight loss 6.
For example, the fat burner caffeine is characterized by the development of tolerance over time, i.e., it stops being effective.
Secondly, ephedrine increases the rate of internal metabolism, which accounts for the majority of calories used each day (~70%). On average, the metabolic rate increases by 5-12%.
Moreover, this occurs regardless of whether you are exercising. This also distinguishes it from caffeine, whose effectiveness for fat burning is much greater during exercise.
The combination of caffeine and ephedrine has a synergistic effect – both components enhance each other. This property is utilized in the ephedrine-caffeine-aspirin stack 7.
Thirdly, ephedrine has a thermogenic effect, i.e., it increases heat production, which according to the law of conservation of energy means greater calorie expenditure.
Thermogenesis is explained by the action of ephedrine on muscle cells directly, as well as by a phenomenon known as vascular thermogenesis 3.
The mechanism of action of ephedrine for weight loss is explained by the increase in metabolic rate, thermogenesis, and oxygen consumption (even without exercising). All these effects are enhanced when ephedrine is combined with caffeine.
Recommended: Caffeine for weight loss: harm and benefits
Scientific studies proving the benefits of ephedrine for weight loss
The effectiveness of the fat burner ephedrine for weight loss (alone and in combination with caffeine) has been proven in numerous experiments.
In one of them, with the consumption of ephedrine at a dose of 20 mg three times a day, participants lost 2.5 kg in 4 weeks and 5.5 kg in 12 weeks (regardless of the level of physical activity and diet) 8.
A similar result was obtained with the use of the ephedrine-caffeine-aspirin stack: 2.2 kg in 8 weeks 9. Its effectiveness was demonstrated when taken over a long period of 5 months. The caloric intake was also not restricted here.
With a caloric deficit, ephedrine and caffeine are more effective: in one of the experiments, teenagers who took ephedrine at a dose of 30-60 mg with caffeine (300-600 mg) lost an average of 6 kg in 20 weeks 1.
How much kg can you lose with ephedrine?
If we average the results of scientific studies, we find that using caffeine + ephedrine for 4-6 months helps to lose about 1 kg per month.
Moreover, it seems that caffeine alone is more effective in fat burning than ephedrine alone.
Recommended: I want to lose weight, but I can’t… What to do?
2 The effectiveness of ephedrine in sports
There are very few studies on the benefits of ephedrine in sports. Most of them assess its effect immediately after ingestion; the impact of long-term use on performance indicators has not been studied. Most often, the participants in the experiments are young physically active individuals.
Since ephedrine acts on androgen receptors (just like anabolic steroids), its intake may contribute to preserving muscle mass from destruction, improving 10. This is evidenced by a decrease in nitrogen content in urine.
At least one study confirms a greater loss of fat mass and less muscle mass (by 2.8 kg) in women with obesity taking ephedrine for 8 weeks 2.
Numerous facts indicate that ephedrine does not affect strength indicators 11,12,13.
Ephedrine may be useful for preserving muscle mass, but it is not effective for increasing muscle strength
Recommended: L-carnitine for athletes: USELESS for gaining muscle mass and endurance
3 The harm of ephedrine and health consequences
The side effects of ephedrine are characteristic of most fat burners that contain stimulants. Among them:
- nausea;
- vomiting;
- anxiety;
- hyperactivity;
- increased heart rate;
- headaches.
But that’s not all.
The list is supplemented by more serious consequences, including heart attacks, strokes, and psychiatric episodes.
A few numbers.
By 2001, there were about 1500 complaints about the negative effects of ephedrine reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA, and reports from one of the largest manufacturers of ephedrine-containing products recorded about 18000 cases.
Among them, there were ~80 deaths, more than 50 heart attacks and other heart problems, over 55 strokes, 40 seizures, and more than 90 psychiatric issues 14.
The negative consequences of using ephedrine include both the “harmless” digestive disorders and insomnia characteristic of other fat burners, as well as facts of deaths from heart attacks and strokes.
We recommend: The best natural fat burners and weight loss products
How to take ephedrine
Scientific studies have proven the effectiveness of a dose of ephedrine of 20-50 mg three times a day for weight loss. Higher doses (>150 mg) increase the risk of side effects.
Most often, however, ephedra extract is taken in an ephedrine-caffeine-aspirin (ECA) stack, where the three components enhance each other’s effects. In commercial ECA supplements, the dosage of ephedrine is 20-24 mg, caffeine 200 mg, and aspirin 91 mg. This combination has the strongest effect 4.
Some studies suggest that the stimulating effect of ephedrine is strongest during calorie restriction 5.
Can ephedrine be taken continuously or should breaks be made?
Paradoxically, unlike caffeine, ephedrine does not cause addiction, and therefore there is no need for cycling in its intake.
A dose of 20-50 mg of ephedrine three times a day is considered effective for weight loss. For maximum effectiveness, it is better to limit the caloric intake. Ephedrine can be taken continuously.
We recommend: Truth and LIES about the benefits of the fat burner L-Carnitine for weight loss
Conclusion
Ephedra and its extract ephedrine, like most other weight loss drugs, have a moderate fat-burning effect.
The benefits of ephedrine in sports have very weak scientific support.
The consequences of taking ephedrine can range from “relatively harmless” nervousness, mood swings, heart rhythm disturbances, nausea, vomiting, and insomnia, to death from a heart attack or stroke.
