Ephedra is an alkaloid derived from the plant, ephedra sinica. This plant alkaloid has been used by the Chinese as a herbal medicine for over 5000 years. Ephedra has traditionally been used to treat a wide variety of disorders include asthma, hay fever, sinusitis , common cold, and other viral illnesses. Others even use ephedra on a regular basis to diminish fatigue and generate energy.
Today, ephedra is used by many cultures including Middle Easterners, Orientals, Asians and even North Americans. Some people eat the plant, other chew the leaves, there are pills of ephedra, and one can even drink it with a beverage.
Ephedra was once the most sold dietary supplement in North America. It was widely available and sold without a prescription. Over the years, it was observed by the FDA that the substance was associated with a fair number of complications including heart attacks and deaths.
In 2004, FDA banned the sale of ephedra and ephedra containing products from all health food stores. Today, the sale of ephedra in the USA is illegal. Now that ephedra is gone, it has been replaced with bitter orange.
No comments:
Post a Comment