Muskrat Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 Steve Bechler dies....ephedrine implicated...on the 'side' it is noted that he 'also' had other contributing factors (past liver trouble, borderline hypertension, etc.). I am really tired of Ephedrine getting all of this flak. Aspirin has caused more injuries and deaths PER user that Ephidrine has, yet you can buy 18 million different forms of aspirin whenever you want. Personally, Ephedrine has enabled me, as an asthmatic, to stop needing an inhaler 1 to 2 times daily. I had been on medication to control my condition since I was 4....at age 19 or so, I 'discovered' Ephedrine and have prospered ever since. I haven't needed to use an inhaler in several years (I'm 33 now), and when I did need an inhaler, it was during periods when I was not taking any Ephedrine at all. Note: I do lean towards using the herbal form, as it generally doesn't give you many of the side effects that the it's 'manufactured' form does (jitters, etc.). I also find it convenient that when Ephedrine IS implicated, you RARELY hear whether the recommended dosages were used. VERY often in cases where an individual has had a problem, they have taken at least twice the recommended dosage, very often 3-4 times the recommended dosage. Knowledge is the problem here, or rather lack of it...if you take anything without having at least rudimentary knowledge of it, you pretty much deserve whatever you get. I have no sympathy for anyone who takes or does anything without investigating the potentials, and then complains because something bad happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKurp Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 Bechler took one more than the prescribed two pills that was recommended on the label. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redman Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 No one's attacking ephedrine per se, and I'm sure it's worked wonders for your asthma. What's being attacked is it's use as a "dietary supplement" particularly for weight loss, and particularly for crash weight loss efforts in conjunction with intense physical activity in high heat. Moreover, it's being used for these purposes irresponsibly, particularly in pro and big-time college athletics. Comparing it to aspirin doesn't work as an argument. People don't pop aspirin to lose weight while running wind-sprints in high heat and humidity at 50-pounds overweight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codeorama Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 I use Xenadrine, the supplement that the Orioles pitcher was using, I haven't had any problems with it. I've been using it for about 3 years. It works well. The only supplement that I tried that bothered me was Andro. I tried it one time and I got the shakes really bad and felt really light headed and clammy skinned. Needless to say, I didn't use it again. What they haven't said yet is how many pills he was taking a day. If I take 2 and go work out, I'm ok, but I would never take more than 2 in a 24 hour peroid. I did one time and got the jitters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKurp Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 Originally posted by codeorama What they haven't said yet is how many pills he was taking a day. If I take 2 and go work out, I'm ok, but I would never take more than 2 in a 24 hour peroid. I did one time and got the jitters. Okay, since you won't take my word for it..... From the USA TODAY . * While dieting, Bechler was taking Xenadrine RFA-1, an over-the-counter drug containing ephedrine, the active ingredient in ephedra. Perper said it shouldn't be taken by people with such symptoms and that Bechler ingested three pills -- one above the recommended daily dosage -- before he became dizzy during Sunday's workout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codeorama Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 Originally posted by TheKurp Okay, since you won't take my word for it..... From the USA TODAY . Sorry, I missed it in the quote.... No one said I had to be able to read to be here... :shootinth 3 is a problem, especially with the other problems he had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montilar Posted February 20, 2003 Share Posted February 20, 2003 Actually FDA had backed down on the push it was making on the ephredrine issue. When we first got into the dietary supplement issue on the state level a few years back, ephredra/ephedrine/ma huang was one of the items we targeted. Until a few years ago, there was really nothing regulating dietary supplements. What was happening is a bunch of shysters were making outrageous claims. (One of our people found a liquid supplement that must of come from the fountain of youth. I think it was supposed to cure cancer, diabetes, impetence, old age......) In other words, it was a crock of sh*t. The biggest issue that has been seen with ephedrine or "ma huang" (the chinese herb) is the dosages some put on the label or the fact that they don't even list it on the label at all. That is what caused two instances involving multiple deaths that were reported. Sometimes it will list ma huang, but not ephedra; well if you aren't familiar with ma huang, you won't know it's loaded with ephedra. One company had the dosage in the pills about 4 times higher than it should of been or was labeled as having. Another company had it in the pills but not declared on the label. And of course some people who should not take ephedrine at all due to heart issues took it as it wasn't listed on the label.... As this happened in Texas, Texas jumped on the dietary supplement issue with both feet, and probably have the some of the tougher regs on ephedrine... Hopefully that isn't happening anymore....but knowing people trying to cut corners and make a buck..... The thing is with dietary supplements, they have NOT been tested (except possibly by the manufacturer, if it's a reputable company); They have NOT gone through the rigorous procedures (which generally take years and millions of dollars) required to be called a drug. If a product says it cures something; it is a drug. If it says "May help with or promotes ...." it's a supplement, and in fact may do nothing of the kind.... There has been no testing done and sent to FDA for approval. The only thing the company has to do is provide the supplement facts panel and label in the format as required by FDA Essentually, as you said, it's the buyer/user's responsibility to research and become aware of what they are stuffing in their body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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