Weight Loss Information

Metabolism Drug Induced Weight Loss Can Be Effective, But Are You Aware Of The Risks?


A metabolism drug like ephedrine, has shown many people how to burn fat fast. These drugs however, are associated with a certain degree of risk. What about their effectiveness compared to these risks? And what should you do to minimize the probability of side effects.

What Is an Ephedrine-based metabolism drug?

  • Ephedrine is derived from the plant ephedra. This is a perennial shrub with several different species growing in certain regions of Asia, Europe, North America and South America.
  • Many of these varities, especially the Asian and European ones, contain the active substance ephedrine alkaloids or EAs where Ephedrine is the major EA.
  • In China ephedrine has been used for more than 5,000 years to treat diseases like asthma, fever, colds, and even malaria.
  • Ephedrine products are sold in pill, liquid and even bar form.
  • Ephedrine products are often combined with caffeine, aspirin, and a variety of other herbs considered to aid a fat burning process.
  • Caffeine is added because it has been proven to enhance and prolong the effects of ephedrine. Especially for weight loss, up to 240 mg of caffeine a day in combination with ephedrine, make the last more effective.
  • Aspirin is added because it has been proven to reduce urinary excretion of ephedrine. This way it stays in the blood longer and even prolongs it's stimulating effects. On the other hand this combination also increases ephedra's potential risks.

Working mechanisms

Ephedrine stimulates the production of epinephrine and norepinephtine in your body.These are the natural chemicals that trigger the sympathetic nervous system to gear up to either go to battle or escape a situation immediately, also known as the "fight or flight" reaction.

The symptoms of these reaction are:

  • increased heart rate
  • increased force of heart contraction
  • increased flow in blood, also to the brain
  • increased blood pressure
  • increased body heat production, calorie-burning and basal metabolic rate.

So all in all, what ephedrine really does in relation to weight loss, is

  • burns calories
  • speeds up the metabolism a bit
  • may also act as an appetite suppressant, by affecting the brain's ability to regulate hunger and satiation.

Many people report that this drug really helps them in losing weight. One woman tells that after adding an ephedrine-based supplement to her diet-and-exercise regimen, it was easier to lose my abdominal fat.Conclusively, I must admit that ephedrine can be effective in weight loss

  • when used as part of a healthy, balanced diet and workout program
  • with a low to moderate intake so that you don't experience any side effects.

It is mandatory to get your diet and exercise plan in order before you eventually start to incorporate ephedrine in your weight loss program. Take careful note of any side effects you experience with the drug.

Side effects

In general, the older you are and the more pre-existing medical conditions you have, the more likely you are to experience an adverse event. This is true especially for medical conditions involving the cardiovascular or central nervous system

Reported side effects:

  • increased blood pressure
  • heart rate irregularities - A woman tells that she gradually increased her intake of her fat-burner of choice from the recommended dosage to three pills three times a day. She was losing weight, but she also began to feel she couldn't work out as intensely as she had before because her heart rate was so elevated. She felt sick and would break into a cold sweat and felt jittery and clammy all the time,..
  • heart attacks
  • headaches
  • insomnia
  • nervousness, anxiety, depression
  • tremors
  • seizures
  • strokes

If you do take a product that combines ephedrine and caffeine, be especially aware of your total daily caffeine intake. You should limit your caffeine intake to 300 mg or 6 ounces of regular coffee a day and drink a lot of water.

Most people do not experience serious side effects. However, if you experience intolerance to ephedra it is not wise to continue using it.

How much?

The first thing you should do before you determine the dosage that fits you best, is to find out the exact amount of the active ephedra alkaloid. This varies greatly from product to product.

So what you do is

  • always purchase from reliable companies with extensive label information rather than buying a no-name brand off the Internet.
  • check the label carefully.

When you know the exact milligram amount of the active alkaloid

  • Start up with 10 mg per day (24 hours)
  • gradually and slowly increase the dosage up to 90 mg a day
  • within this limit, keep to the highest dosage that doesn't have you experiencing negative side effects.

About the Author

Terje Brooks Ellingsen is a writer and internet marketer. He runs the website 11-Weight-Loss.net. Terje enjoys to give advice and help people with weight loss, exercise programs and fitness issues.


MORE RESOURCES:

Houston Weight Loss Surgeons Discuss How to Choose the Right Bariatric Practice
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
Drs. Yu and Scarborough discuss key aspects to look for in a practice before undergoing a weight loss procedure such as gastric plication to help improve results and get patients back on track towards leading a healthier life.

and more »


Dallas Weight Loss Surgeon Adds Bariatrician
Sacramento Bee
As a Board Certified Bariatrician, Dr. Obi will head up the Bariatric Solutions AfterCare program as well as assisting patients during their pre surgery diet requirement for the weight loss surgeries performed at Bariatric Solutions: Lap Band, ...

and more »


USA TODAY

Weight loss: Clinics halt Lap-Band surgeries amid controversy | MassDevice.com ...
Mass Device
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — A pair of outpatient clinics in Los Angeles stopped offering weight-loss surgeries using the Lap-Band gastrointestinal device amid ongoing controversy over a marketing campaign. The FDA late last year issued warning letters to 8 ...
Clinics halt Lap-Band surgeriesLos Angeles Times
Lap-Band surgeries halted at two LA clinicsUSA TODAY
Allergan stops selling Lap-Band to 1-800-GET-THIN doctorsInjuryBoard.com
California Healthline -French Tribune
all 51 news articles »


Weight-loss couple urge others to take up challenge
This is Plymouth
A COUPLE from Devonport embracing the loveLIFE campaign have lost five of their 15 stone weight loss target. Chris Searle, aged 30, and Charlotte Telling, aged 25, who are both unemployed, signed up to The Herald's loveLIFE campaign to help improve the ...

and more »


Daily Mail

Dawn French discusses weight loss on This Morning in dress with bright and ...
Daily Mail
She spoke about her weight loss, kissing Michael Buble and working with Simon Cowell - which she said was still a mystery to her. No more weight loss talk, please! Dawn told hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield that she was bored with people ...
Dawn French on slim new figure: 'I refuse to dislike my other body!'hellomagazine.com
Dawn French has the blast laughThe Sun

all 9 news articles »


PR Web (press release)

MonavVie Launches 90-Day Weight Loss "RVLUTION" With Its RVL Weight Management ...
PR Web (press release)
Health and wellness leader MonaVie has launched the “90-day MonaVie RVLution,” a weight loss movement that uses its RVL Premier Weight Loss System in combination with Venice Nutrition Creator and NY Times Bestselling Author Mark Macdonald's “Body ...

and more »


Anti-obesity drugs with a modified lifestyle helps weight loss -- new study
EurekAlert (press release)
Dr Laura Gray and colleagues from the Department of Health Sciences at the University of Leicester have published a paper in the journal Obesity Review which looks at the effectiveness of anti –obesity drugs and a modified lifestyle on weight loss and ...

and more »


Weight Loss: Rick Warren's New Purpose
Huffington Post
By Lilly Fowler LAKE FOREST, Calif. (RNS) Megachurch pastor Rick Warren has become an outsized evangelical superstar: best-selling author of "The Purpose Driven Life" series, pastoral mentor and even political referee. Now Warren is finding a new ...
Rick Warren finds a new purpose: weight lossThe Christian Century
Rick Warren gets rid of excess weight using the Saddleback "Daniel Plan ...God Discussion

all 5 news articles »


PRunderground

In NYC Surgery By Virtual Gastric Band Hypnosis Is The Hottest Technique In ...
PRunderground
Dr OZ has been talking about one of the hottest techniques in weight loss, Surgery By Virtual Gastric Band Hypnosis. This technique keeps Dr Ellyn Gamberg busy in her NYC and Danbury CT offices busy with much success. On his show today, Dr. Oz will be ...
Dr. Oz 2/8/2012: Hypnosis And Weight Loss “Can This Really Work?”CMR
Health: Hypnosis Lap Band, A Non-Invasive Way To Lose WeightCBS Local

all 4 news articles »


The Virginian-Pilot

Does "home-cooking" = weight loss?
The Virginian-Pilot
The weight loss industry knows one important (better yet, vital) thing about us: We don't know what we're doing wrong. As long as someone else has the upper hand in what you're doing, you'll only be able to do what you're being told.

and more »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006