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A study on ephedrine/caffeine (but NO aspirin) and weight loss
Neal L. Benowitz, MD, and Christine A. Haller, MD, are authors of the earlier study linking health problems to ephedra use. Both are researchers at the University of California, San Francisco.
"What our study showed was that healthy, overweight people who took our herbal product lost more weight and body fat than did a similar control group," Boozer says. "They didn't experience any significant adverse event."
"The adverse effects that occur from dietary supplements can be catastrophic, but they are uncommon," Benowitz tells WebMD. "The likelihood of detecting rare events in small trials like this one is virtually nil."
"While this study didn't show a lot of adverse effects, they didn't use an off-the-shelf supplement," Haller tells WebMD. "There are many, many other ingredients in these supplements. It is not the same as Metabolife or others. I really don't think you can use this as a study to invoke the safety of dietary supplements. This is just not what people out there are taking. Until we know about the other ingredients, we can't speak to safety."
Boozer, Benowitz, and Haller all agree that a larger study is needed. It may be hard to do. Even Boozer's small study -- funded in part by a consortium of supplement manufacturers -- cost a lot.
Meanwhile, here are some things to do if you are thinking of taking ephedra-containing supplements:
READ THE LABEL. Ephedra has powerful effects. If you have one of the health conditions listed on the label, you should not take the supplement. These conditions include (but are not limited to) high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, neurologic disease, and epilepsy.
Look for a quality assurance seal on the package. It guarantees that the supplement contains what it's supposed to, in the dosages listed on the label.
Don't take too much of the drug. Use ONLY as directed on the label.
Tell your doctor what you are taking. This is especially important if you are taking other medications. Benowitz advises people to use ephedra only with a doctor's supervision.
Neal L. Benowitz, MD, and Christine A. Haller, MD, are authors of the earlier study linking health problems to ephedra use. Both are researchers at the University of California, San Francisco.
"What our study showed was that healthy, overweight people who took our herbal product lost more weight and body fat than did a similar control group," Boozer says. "They didn't experience any significant adverse event."
"The adverse effects that occur from dietary supplements can be catastrophic, but they are uncommon," Benowitz tells WebMD. "The likelihood of detecting rare events in small trials like this one is virtually nil."
"While this study didn't show a lot of adverse effects, they didn't use an off-the-shelf supplement," Haller tells WebMD. "There are many, many other ingredients in these supplements. It is not the same as Metabolife or others. I really don't think you can use this as a study to invoke the safety of dietary supplements. This is just not what people out there are taking. Until we know about the other ingredients, we can't speak to safety."
Boozer, Benowitz, and Haller all agree that a larger study is needed. It may be hard to do. Even Boozer's small study -- funded in part by a consortium of supplement manufacturers -- cost a lot.
Meanwhile, here are some things to do if you are thinking of taking ephedra-containing supplements:
READ THE LABEL. Ephedra has powerful effects. If you have one of the health conditions listed on the label, you should not take the supplement. These conditions include (but are not limited to) high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, neurologic disease, and epilepsy.
Look for a quality assurance seal on the package. It guarantees that the supplement contains what it's supposed to, in the dosages listed on the label.
Don't take too much of the drug. Use ONLY as directed on the label.
Tell your doctor what you are taking. This is especially important if you are taking other medications. Benowitz advises people to use ephedra only with a doctor's supervision.
