Explaining Ephedra

Ephedra has been used for centuries, and is most commonly a remedy for asthma, allergies, arthritis, and breathing problems in general. It's actually a plant that is found in dry, rocky places across the globe. There are three different kinds of the plant, of which the stems are taken and used in medicine practices. These different kinds, or species, are Ephedra intermedia, Ephedra equisetina, and Ephedra sinica; the Ephedra plant is also known as Ma Huang in China.

The main product that comes from Ephedra is Ephedrine. Ephedrine affects the central nervous system and raises the body's metabolism rate. It is effective in treating many physical ailments; especially bronchitis, because it dilates the bronchial tubes. It's a beta-adrenergic agonist which means that it raises your body's temperature as well as the heart rate.

Ephedrine composes 30-90% of alkaloids found in stems on the Ephedra plant. One to three percent of the stems are made of alkaloids. The other alkaloid found in the stem besides Ephedrine is the pseudoephedrine, which in its synthetic form is commonly used as a solution for nasal congestion.

The alkaloid salt Ephedrine acts in a similar fashion to adrenaline, yet it isn't anywhere near as strong as amphetamines. Ephedrine causes an increase in heart rate and raises blood pressure. It greatly stimulates the body which makes it an incredible asset to those who are trying to lose weight. The body's metabolism is greatly enhanced, which is always a good sign for weight loss. However, it can also increase perspiration. All of these effects cause the body to increase thermogenesis, which is what leads to the metabolism boost. Thermogenesis is just the fat burning process the body goes through. Caffeine, guarana, and other products are often added to diet because they can enhance the thermogenic effects.

This leads us to the common ECA stack. The ECA stands for Ephedrine, caffeine, and aspirin. The use of Ephedrine and caffeine combined has been shown to drastically increase the thermogenic effect, resulting in increased weight loss. Aspirin is believed to reduce the other effects of stimulation, while the fat burning is still increased. It plays the role of a prostaglandin inhibitor and raises lipolytic activity. Lipolytic is a term that describes fat burning effects.

There are several side effects that come with the use of Ephedra and Ephedrine, though. The most well known are those that resemble the side effects of using amphetamines. These include a higher chance of heart failure, stroke, and other cardiac problems. They can also make the user more nervous than usual, more irritable, suffer headaches, sleeplessness, have increased blood pressure and heart rate, become nauseous, vomit, or endure urinary problems.

Obviously there are those who should steer clear of Ephedra and Ephedrine. Some of these include those with anxiety or panic disorders, diabetics, and those with high blood pressure, and heart or thyroid problems. As with most drugs, those who are already using medication should ask their doctor about adding Ephedra to their regimen.

When starting a cycle of Ephedra or Ephedrine products, the dosage should begin very small; less than what is suggested. Gradually increase the dosage to see how the body reacts to the drug, until the right dosage is found. Ephedra doesn't have any stipulations of when to take it throughout the day. It can be taken with or without meals.