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Remember That Great Ephedra Buzz? Study Says Ephedra is A-OK |
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Written by Superhuman
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Saturday, 19 January 2008 |
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned dietary supplements containing ephedra in April 2004, claiming they could cause serious
illnesses or injuries including stroke and heart attack, which can result in death. The scientific evidence for these claims is unclear. Politics and economics appeared to play a significant role in the ruling. A New York University School of Medicine study examined the records of all autopsies performed in the city and county of San Francisco between 1994 and 2001 and identified 127 cases that showed traces of ephedrine drugs (ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, norephedrine). They found only one possible case of ephedrine toxicity in all deaths that occurred in San Francisco in seven years. Millions of people took ephedra-based supplements general vitality during those years. The study did not support the FDA’s claim that ephedra posed a significant public health risk. (Forensic Science International, 139:61-69, 2004)
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