| A Utah state court judge declared the FDA ban on | | | | revealed that cardiac arrhythmia episodes didn't occur |
| Ephedra, Ma-huang, as a drug wrong on April 14th | | | | in subjects given 90mg of ephedra per day vs. a |
| 2005. The FDA filed an appeal to have the ruling | | | | placebo. The Cantox Report concluded that 150mg of |
| overturned in a higher court. The appeal was granted | | | | ephedrine alkaloids per day was the "lowest observed |
| and the ruling was overturned as of August 18, 2006. | | | | adverse effect level". According to their conclusion, the |
| This means the FDA is entitled to pose restrictions and | | | | lowest observed adverse effect level is a full 50% |
| or limitations on sales of pills with Ephedra. However, | | | | higher than the recommended maximum daily dose of |
| the FDA won't be allowed to write their own | | | | 100mg per day of ephedrine alkaloids you will see on |
| restrictions as they have done in the past. Any | | | | ephedra containing diet supplements. |
| restrictions would be presented via a proposal. That | | | | This study also examined the long-term safety and |
| proposal would then have to be voted on and passed | | | | effectiveness for weight loss of an herbal supplement |
| through both the House of Representatives as well as | | | | containing Ma Huang and Kola Nut. The results of this |
| the Senate. | | | | six month randomized, double-blind placebo controlled |
| So the question for the general public still remains,"Is | | | | trial were published in the International Journal of |
| ephedra legal?" For now, the future availability of | | | | Obesity for May of 2002. After a 6 month study, the |
| ephedra in the U.S.A. is up in the air. The FDA recently | | | | conclusion was that, "the tested product produces no |
| made a statement saying that, for the time being, they | | | | adverse events and minimal side effects. This is |
| would be allowing the sale of capsules containing | | | | consistent with the known mechanism and action of |
| Ephedra that did not exceed 10mg per capsule. | | | | Ephedrine and Caffeine". |
| Currently, this is only a recommendation since the FDA | | | | An estimated 61% of the U.S. adults are over-weight |
| doesn't have legal control over the herb. For the | | | | or obese and obesity has reached epidemic |
| moment, you can still buy pills with ephedra in the | | | | proportions in the United States. Obesity continues to |
| United States, however, that could change at any time. | | | | be the second leading cause of preventable death. By |
| In December of 2000, the Cantox Report researched | | | | current estimations, there are 300,000 obesity related |
| 9 controlled studies on ephedra. Each study observed | | | | deaths per year. Given the current obesity problems in |
| was a minimum of 8 weeks long. These studies | | | | America, the FDA not allowing U.S. citizens to buy pills |
| looked at heart rate, blood pressure, adverse side | | | | with ephedra, a diet pill that actually works, seems |
| effects, and other related indicators. One study | | | | pretty silly. |