The FDA has finally gone and done it. From U.S. Announces Ban on Ephedra Diet Supplement:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday it will ban the weight-loss aid ephedra, saying it is unsafe and can cause heart attacks and stroke.It is the first time the FDA has banned a supplement.
Some quotes:
“Ephedra is an adrenaline-like stimulant that can have potentially dangerous effects on the heart,” the FDA said in a statement.“Other recent studies have also confirmed that ephedra use raises blood pressure and otherwise stresses the circulatory system, effects that have been conclusively linked to significant and substantial adverse health effects like heart problems and strokes.”
Of course, caffeine “raises blood pressure and otherwise stresses the circulatory system” too.
Even if dieters are “likely to do more harm than good by taking ephedra,” shouldn’t that be their choice? Certainly many dieters do use ephedra productively.