Ephedra is one of the world's oldest medicines, as the Chinese first discovered it more than 5,000 years ago. The scientific name for Ephedra is 'Ephedra Sinica', which is an herbal product that comes from an evergreen plant called MaHuang. Ephedra is known to increase metabolism, relax the air passages, promote perspiration and promote urination. With these reactions in the body, Ephedra has been shown to help with weight loss, asthma, coughs, minor colds and edema.

Physiologically, Ephedra stimulates the brain, causing nervousness and making the heartbeat faster. Ephedra temporarily expands the tubes that carry air to the lungs (bronchial tubes), which makes breathing easier in people who have asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Ephedra is best known for its fat burning (thermogenic) properties. Some research shows the ephedra promotes fat loss while sparing lean muscle. People also use Ephedra as an energy booster and to help with weight loss.

According to the FDA's website, the short-term use of Ephedra or Ephedra plus caffeine is associated with a statistically significant increase in short-term weight loss compared to placebo. There are no studies assessing the long-term effects of the use of Ephedra containing dietary supplements.

Given the studies on short-term effectiveness, you may consider using Ephedra for a shorter length of time while you are concentrating on reaching your weight loss target. Be sure to consume Ephedra according to industry guidelines, which suggest no more than 10mg of Ephedra per day. For the latest information on other diet related topics, visit www.DietWeightLossNews.org If you are interested in the latest with regards to public availability of Ephedra, go to www.EphedraEnergy.com
About the Author
Todd Brenner is currently the Executive Vice President of Fitness By Design. He serves on the board for A Healthier America and has 18 years of nutritional experience and natural healing. He holds a Masters in Business from University of Louisville. Copyright ©2005