Are Americans Finally Ready to Give Up Ephedra Diet Pills?

The current controversy over ephedra-based diet pills has sent manufacturers of dietary supplements scrambling to find alternatives to the popular herbal compound. Early so-called ephedra "alternatives" were embraced by retailers but rejected by consumers because the supplements didn't provide the high-energy "kick" ephedra users had become accustomed to.

However, a new, non-ephedra "Super-Stimulant" just might be the ephedrine replacement everyone has been waiting for. The high-energy diet pill, called Zantrex(TM)-3 (from Zoller Laboratories(TM), Salt Lake City, Utah), has already broken GNC sales records, and nationwide sales of have exceeded 300,000 bottles in less than 30 days of retail availability.

According to company literature, the new compound produces 546% more weight loss than the top-selling ephedra-based pill, Xenadrine® RFA-1, and provides "all the energy you'll ever want or need ... day or night." (For more information see www.zantrex-3.com.)

But is the new supplement safe? Dr. Daniel Mowrey, noted herbal expert and president of American Phytotherapy Research Laboratory, says, "Although the studies on the weight-loss and stimulant components of Zantrex-3 show the compounds to be well tolerated, anyone who chooses to use stimulant-based diet pills should consult with their physician, be in overall good health, and use the pills with caution."

Dennis Gay, CEO of Basic Research, LLC, exclusive distributor of Zantrex-3, is careful to point out that Zantrex-3 has solid substantiation to support its weight-loss claims. "In a comparison of published clinical trials, Zantrex-3's active weight-loss compound was shown to deliver more than five times the weight loss of Xenadrine RFA-1," said Gay. "However, our retailers tell us it's the energy component that's been brining people back to their stores for more."

So where does this energy come from? Louis Rinaldi, PhD, product development coordinator for Zantrex-3, explained, "The key was combining a powerful complex of xanthines [caffeine and caffeine-like substances] with a patented compound that helps speed absorption. The result is substantial weight loss and a real energy boost ... a weight-control compound that's way beyond anything ephedra can offer."

What about those who are sensitive to stimulants? "People unaccustomed to high-energy supplements may feel a little 'jittery' the first time they take a full serving of Zantrex-3," Rinaldi said, "but the body quickly adjusts. We advise people who are sensitive to stimulants to start with one capsule twice a day and increase the serving if they need it."

Based on very positive national response, the makers of Zantrex-3 are preparing an aggressive worldwide marketing campaign. "We expect sales to continue in North America and rapidly expand into Europe and Asia," said CEO Gay. "We've received inquiries from just about every country in the EU and have already sold thousands of units into Hong Kong, Singapore, Mexico and Canada. Apparently America was not the only country looking for a replacement for ephedra."