Concerns Raised Over Ephedra

This time of year weight loss plans rise in popularity. But there are serious concerns about the weight loss product Ephedra. Supplements containing Ephedra are still on the market, but now people are searching for safer alternatives.

But some of the alternatives can also be risky.

Baltimore Orioles Pitcher Steve Bechler was taking the diet drug Ephedra for weight loss when he collapsed and died on the baseball field a few weeks back he was 27 years old.
                
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson announced he wouldn't take the stuff. He wants the FDA to put warning labels on Ephedra to let consumers know that the unregulated herbal supplement can cause serious side effects like heart attacks and seizures.
 
And just last week, retailer GNC said it would stop selling products containing Ephedra all together.
       
That's because Ephedra can kill. According to the Food and Drug Administration, Ephedra may have caused or contributed to the deaths of nearly 2,000 people in the past five years. 
 
Like a lot of people, Jane Blong is shopping for a new weight loss product, one without Ephedra.

"So she's been trying some of the ones that are not Ephedra, and she just gave me a list of them," Jane Blong, supplement user, said.

There are plenty of Ephedra free weight loss products on the shelves. But the experts warn: they can be risky too. Most contain thermogenic compounds that stimulate the nervous system and raise your metabolic rate, which helps you lose weight. 
 
Ephedra is the strongest thermogenic compound, but caffeine, cocoa, even green tea are also thermogenics and are found in many of these supplements.    
 
Cardiologist Ramon Oskoui says these alternatives can lead to Ephedra-like side effects if they're used incorrectly. 

"The central nervous system and the cardio-vascular system, there is a very real risk with many of these compounds of heart attack, stroke, death, malignant heart arrhythmias," Dr. Ramon Oskoui, cardiologist, said.
 
One of the most popular Ephedra-free weight loss products is Xenadrine.      
 
MedStar Health Nutritionist Denise Feeley says it contains a lot of caffeine and could cause problems for anyone with a heart condition. 

"My research into Xenadrine has shown that it is a number of sub-vitamins and also some amino acids and then a metabolizing complex, which is not clearly identified," Denise Feeley, nutritionist, said.
 
Xenadrine, Ephedra, none of these supplements is regulated by the FDA, so you can't be sure what's in them.
 
Jane Blong has decided to try Xenadrine anyway, even though she's a little apprehensive:
 
The National Institute of Health has done numerous studies on the effectiveness of Ephedra-free weight loss products.

Research shows that these products help people lose a few pounds, but after a couple of weeks the supplements' effectiveness wears off, and many people gain back the weight after a few months.