Ephedra (Ma-Huang) For Dieting

We do not currently carry Ephedra or Ma Huang due to recent controversies. We are recommending yerba mate tea as a safe and popular alternative. Yerba mate has similar energizing effects without nervousness or the health concerns of using ephedra. Read about this herb at the link below.

Read the information on Ephedra below. Ephedra can be a useful medicine when used correctly, as it has been in China for thousands of years. As we see more research we may decide to include it again.


		Yerba Mate Diet Tea! Regular price: $16.95 Sale price: $12.95, 3/$29.95				Natural Weight Loss

Ma-huang, also known as Ephedra, is one of the world's oldest medicines. It dialates bronchial passages, reduces appetite, stimulates the central nervous system and acts as a nasal decongestant. It contains ephidrene and pseudoephidrene and is used to treat asthma, colds, earaches and obesity. It can be useful if used correctly. It is not currently available through Greenbush.

Ephedrine is a stimulant found naturally in ma huang, a group of Chinese herbs. Ephedrine also can be chemically manufactured or synthesized. The rules would prohibit the use of synthetic ephedrine in the dietary and energy-boosting products.

The following article examines the FDA's opinion of the herb.

The Herb Research Foundation: Herb Information Greenpaper

Perspective on Ephedra Ephedrine and Caffeine Products Robert S. McCaleb, HRF President

April 28, 1995, Austin, Texas.

The Texas Department of Health (TDH), has proposed banning certain ephedra and ephedrine-containing products made by dietary supplement companies, while preserving products of the pharmaceutical industry. This interesting--if a bit convoluted--proposal seeks to make the following changes in regulating products in the state of Texas:

All ephedrine products would become prescription drugs, except: Ephedra (ma huang) products would be exempt only if they are less than 3% alkaloid (read "NO EXTRACTS"). It would be illegal to sell any ephedra or ephedrine-containing product in combination with combinations with caffeine or caffeine-containing plants including cola, tea or guarana. A list of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs made by pharmaceutical companies would be specifically exempted from the whole issue: Primatene, Breathe-Aid, Bronkaid, ephedrine-based nose drops plus "generic equivalents." It would be illegal to advertise or label ephedrine-containing products, including ephedra dietary supplements with claims for weight loss or "energy" use. There are numerous inconsistencies in this proposal, which apparently seeks to prevent the sale of even low-dose natural products containing these stimulant ingredients, while protecting the products of the pharmaceutical industry. The rhetoric and emotions have run high on this issue. It our hope to provide a rational perspective on the issue of plants which contain ephedrine and related active chemicals (alkaloids) and caffeine with its related alkaloids.

Stimulant beverages:

Tea is a stimulant beverage with an ancient history of use. Coffee is another. Another is ephedra, which the Chinese call ma huang. Like coffee and tea, it has been brewed into a beverage for thousands of years and consumed for its stimulant effects. Cola nuts, which contain caffeine, are used to make the stimulant beverage, Coke. Legally we classify these stimulant beverages as foods.

When we concentrate a food, is it still a food? Instant coffee is a concentrated form of coffee, with at over three times as much caffeine, by weight, as coffee. Instant tea is another concentrated stimulant beverage. Ma huang extract is made by the same process as instant coffee, and similarly concentrated, with about three times as much alkaloid as ephedra herb. When a spoonful of any of these "concentrates" is added to a cup of hot water, it makes a stimulant beverage, no more concentrated or toxic than before it was concentrated.

Licorice extract is another highly concentrated food substance, one used for flavor and aroma. It is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in licorice candy at levels up to 24%. Compared to licorice root, itself, the extract contains a concentrated level of glycyrrhizin, a compound which can cause cardiovascular toxicity (pseudoaldosteronism). There are many other concentrates with potential toxicity used in food. Wintergreen extract (methyl salicylate), cinnamon oil (cinnamic aldehyde), almond extract (benzaldehyde) and horseradish (allyl isothiocyanate) are a few examples. None of these substances is dangerous in reasonable quantities. The point is simply this: All of these concentrated foods can be safely used, and are...every day.

Dietary Supplements Dietary supplements, including vitamins, minerals and other substances are almost always concentrated. That is the nature of dietary supplements: they are concentrated ways to supplement the diet with something in a convenient form. Many herbal dietary supplements are also concentrated. Dietary supplements are regulated in the U.S. as foods, under laws established by the US Congress.

Over the Counter Drugs The over-the counter (OTC) drugs Vivarin® and NoDoze® contain pure caffeine. They are no longer food. But the amount of caffeine in each pill is about the same as that in a strong cup of coffee, so they still aren't considered dangerous.

Primatene® is an OTC drug which contains ephedrine, the major active chemical from ma huang. Millions of Americans use this drug every day to treat asthma. Sudafed® contains another stimulant alkaloid from ma huang, pseudoephedrine. It too is used by millions of Americans. Pseudoephedrine has a less potent action on the heart than ephedrine, but is still contraindicated in those with high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, thyroid disease or prostate enlargement.

Dietary supplements containing ephedra alkaloids, including ephedrine, are also used every day in this country. Some ephedra products also contain cola nuts or guarana, natural caffeine sources.

Combining ephedrine and caffeine It is common for ephedrine and caffeine to be consumed together. For example, like most other Americans, most asthmatics who use OTC medications like Primatene® also drink coffee, tea, or cola. People taking cold remedies containing ephedra alkaloids also routinely consume caffeinated beverages.

Texas Department of Health (TDH) has proposed legislation which implies that ephedrine and caffeine are dangerous together, and that ma huang combinations with cola or other caffeine sources be forbidden. If this is truly a risky combination, then all combinations of caffeine and ephedra alkaloids are also dangerous in similar quantities:

For example:

Primatene® and Vivarin® Primatene® and Coffee, Coke and Bronkaid® (another asthma medicine) There are no warnings on these bronchodilator, decongestant and stimulant OTC drug products to warn people against using them together, and no caution on caffeine-containing foods to warn that asthmatics or cold-sufferers using these medicines should avoid caffeine.

These OTC drugs are freely available to all Americans, of any age, at pharmacies and groceries, because they are considered by FDA to be safe enough for most people to use in recommended amounts. Those who shouldn't use them are warned on the packages to avoid them.

The bottom line The key issue in safety is quantity consumed. This is where we need to focus our efforts. The best we can say about the safety of ANY food or drug is that is safe "when used in reasonable amounts by normal consumers." "Reasonable amounts" because nearly anything can be abused; coffee, Primatene, butter, ma huang. "Normal consumers" because there are people who may be especially sensitive to certain things. For example, many people can't drink milk, eat peanuts or use caffeinated beverages. Some cannot safely use Primatene®, as the label warning states.

Herb Research Foundation Recommendations The Herb Research Foundation recommends a sensible policy toward all of these substances:

Determine at what levels ephedra alkaloids are safe for normal consumers. Restrict single servings to safe levels, and total daily use. This is exactly the way OTC drugs and most vitamin products are labeled and sold. Apply cautionary statements to labels to warn those who have specific health conditions to avoid these products, or at least seek medical advice before using. FDA and/or TDH should reconsider whether they really believe ephedra alkaloids and caffeinated products to be a risky combination. If these combinations are not safe, then all ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and caffeine-containing drugs should be appropriately labeled. all caffeine-containing beverages should also carry such warning labels. In the interest of timely action, government agencies and industry trade groups should work together to assure that these products are formulated, labeled, sold and used in a safe and responsible manner. Important note: It is not our intention here to assert that ephedrine and/or caffeine containing products are "safe." We neither condemn nor condone their use. FDA considers them safe enough to be purchased by people of all ages in pharmacy, grocery or convenience stores. If they are labeled with appropriate usage levels, and contraindications, they are equally safe whether sold by a drug company or a natural products company. They must be consistently regulated.

Natural source ephedrine extracts are probably safer than purified alkaloids, but to our knowledge there is no direct toxicity comparison between the two.

For More Information: The Herb Research Foundation has developed a "Herbal Stimulant Factsheet" which compares caffeine and ephedrine content of various consumer products, including both foods and drugs. It also discusses the relative safety of such products, and provides contra-indication information about persons who should avoid either substance.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This page and all contents are © 1997 by The Herb Research Foundation, Boulder, CO, USA.

When buying herbal medicines be sure to look at the ingredients. Frontier herbs have no fillers and are never irradiated or sprayed with pesticides. They are ground at-70 degrees to preserve the unique characteristics of the herb. In many national brands you will notice "silica" (sand!) and "ethylene glycol"(antifreeze!), among other things. Why not buy the best. Your health depends on it.

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*STATEMENTS IN THIS WEBSITE HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THE FDA DOES NOT EVALUATE OR TEST HERBS AND HEALTH FOODS. THESE PRODUCTS ARE NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE , TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. FOR DIAGNOSIS OR TREATMENT CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN. USE HERBS IN MODERATION AND WATCH FOR ALLERGIC REACTIONS. REMEMBER THAT DIET, EXERCISE AND RELAXATION ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO YOUR HEALTH.