Ephedra seen more for its negatives than for its positives

If you are a health and fitness advocate, or just a casual exerciser, it might be a surprise to find out what's contained in some of the supplements or sports drinks you are using.

 
Dr. Robert Terrell talked to area prep and college coaches recently on the subject of Ephedra, an all-natural substance found in many sports drinks, energy drinks and weight-loss products.

"It was approved for distribution in 1999 because it was an all-natural product," said Terrell last week. "States such as Florida and Illinois, along with Canada have since banned some or all Ephedra-related products."

The substance became widely-known to Americans after numerous athletes suffered complications or died in recent years due to high heart rates and abnormal body reactions related to Ephedra.

"There is Ephedra in the energy drink product Red Bull' and it can be found in other products which are consumed on an everyday basis," said Terrell. "The (original) medicinal uses for Ephedra were to treat asthma and nasal congestion."

One Internet website says Ephedra, derived from a plant, has been common within the Chinese culture for over 5,000 years. Today, the substance is sought by people as a means to burn and convert the body's fatty acids into useful energy. The site further explains that, like caffeinated beverages, ephedrine-containing products apparently can be consumed safely in moderate amounts by healthy people.

Just as it has killed a handful of athletes, Ephedra has also been linked to high performance among many professional sports stars. The negatives have outweighed the positives to a degree that the substance has been banned in virtually all professional sports leagues except Major League Baseball.

"At this point, the only thing that (MLB) is doing is screening players for steroids," Terrell said. "It is a dangerous substance for anyone to use, and has similarities to methamphetamine. It's the athletes' choice, but it's the athletic trainers' and coaches' problem."

Ephedra is ingested in pill form or powder form in most cases and can be purchased on-line or at many nutrition stores. Most packaged Ephedra will contain a disclaimer or health alert that the substance is capable of increasing the user's heart rate and circulatory rate.