Ephedra

[knotzen]

Have you used it for weight loss? Did it work?

 

Apparently it's back on the market and I'm thinking of trying it.

 

I hear it can make you bitchy and on edge. But *do you lose body fat*? I want to be lighter so I don't have to work so hard climbin' a measly 5.6.

[iain]

I hear it can make you bitchy and on edge.

 

Dying would make me bitchy and on edge too.

[knotzen]

I hear it can make you bitchy and on edge.

 

Dying would make me bitchy and on edge too.

 

I don't have a weak heart, so I should be OK.

 

Life is full of risks.

[knotzen]

Although I think I would have to change my sig.

[jon]

You should take the advice of your autosig. Just eat less if you want to lose weight.

[Dru]

You can make meth out of it, can't you?

[fern]

 

if you have an attitude that you 'don't want to work so hard' you'll probably never lose weight in any permanent way no matter what shortcut drugs you take.

[Dru]

 

There's always the body wrap! Also good for offwidths.

[knotzen]

if you have an attitude that you 'don't want to work so hard' you'll probably never lose weight in any permanent way no matter what shortcut drugs you take.

What I meant by that is I can't climb as well as I would like because I'm pulling extra, unnecessary weight. It takes more energy, and it's not necessary.

 

I haven't met a climber--or any athlete--who isn't weight conscious on some level. There was a thread recently on what made the most difference in your climbing--several people said losing weight.

[Dru]

Just puke whenever you eat, and brush your teeth afterwards.

[knotzen]

Does brushing prevent stomach acid from eating away your teeth? Yikes.

 

I know someone who had to have their entire set of teeth redone b/c of doing that.

[knotzen]

 

There's always the body wrap! Also good for offwidths.

 

"Mummy, are you on a diet?"

[knotzen]

You should take the advice of your autosig. Just eat less if you want to lose weight.

Well, fuck me! Why didn't I think of that!?

[Dru]

Youre an American - if you can't climb hard enough, sue whoever put up the route.

[Doug]

I know someone who takes ephedra, and quite honestly I knew speed freaks years ago whose behavior paralleled this person's. Bunch of tweakers ready to jump out of their skin at anything.

 

There's no doubt that weight is a huge factor in climbing, but if you've exhausted all other possible solutions (eat less, train harder)and you want a stimulant to supress your appetite, at least go see a Dr. and get a legitimate prescription. I think ephedra is nasty shit.

[knotzen]

Thanks, Doug--I appreciate your reply.

[matt_warfield]

I think it can be effective for robust people without heart problems but in doses far less than what was recommended on the bottles previously. But what about the ban?

[scheissami]

Unfortunately, dietary supplements do not typically fall under the FDA's jurisdiction. Often, consumers are not aware that these substances are not regulated. However, the ban of ephedra supplements is the first time that the FDA has jumped through the tortuous bureaucratic hoops to ban a dietary supplement.

 

"In February 2003, results of the Rand Study, which evaluated the efficacy and safety of ephedra-containing products for weight loss and athletic performance, were published.11 Investigators evaluated 52 controlled studies and 65 case reports and included formal meta-analyses when possible. The results suggested that short-term use produced modest weight loss (0.9 kg/mo). There was no evidence for enhancement of athletic performance. Safety data from 50 trials showed a 2.2- to 3.6-fold increase in the risk of adverse events."

 

"Adverse events associated with ephedra and ephedrine alkaloids include headache, hypertension, insomnia, irritability, motor restlessness, tachycardia, and urinary retention. Serious AEs include cardiac arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, psychosis, seizures, stroke, and death."

 

"On December 30, 2003, the FDA alerted the public that it planned to ban dietary supplements containing ephedra because they presented "unreasonable risk of illness or injury," and on February 11, 2004, the FDA issued its final rule declaring dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids to be adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The ruling, which prohibited the sale of ephedra dietary supplements because they present an unreasonable risk of illness or injury, went into effect on April 12, 2004."

 

What's this all mean? Well, for starters, I wouldn't use ephedra supplements myself. Sure, you may lose up to an extra kilo per month, but another study I looked at showed no difference in body fat percentage. So, yippee, I lost weight but I'm still relatively just as fat. Does not seem too beneficial. I think the fallout from this whole deal is that the public is becoming aware of the limitations of the FDA to evaluate substances that certainly can have an impact on our health, but, due to the way they are marketed, can avoid safety testing. Hopefully, this will lead to more stringent requirements for the manufacture of dietary supplements.

 

Just my two cents.

 

"More Evidence Supporting the Ban of Ephedra Dietary Supplements." Chavez, Mary. The Annals of Pharmacotherapy: Vol. 38, No. 5, pp. 895-897.

[RuMR]

jeezus....stop stuffing your piehole...

 

i don't understand people who can't cut weight ...its really simple, put the twinkies down, get off the sofa and go for a run...

[knotzen]

I think it can be effective for robust people without heart problems but in doses far less than what was recommended on the bottles previously. But what about the ban?

An acquaintance told me it was "partially lifted"--don't know what that means--and sent me a link to www.gorillavitamins.com where you can order it, if over 18. I don't know the details on the status of the ban.

[knotzen]

jeezus....stop stuffing your piehole...

 

i don't understand people who can't cut weight ...its really simple, put the twinkies down, get off the sofa and go for a run...

Mmm, pie!

 

Dude, you *don't* understand. For some people eating is a nervous habit, like smoking or drinking or whatever. It is a very difficult habit/dependency to break, like any "drug" that is misused/abused. You crave it, and yet you hate what it does to your body at the same time. Very much like smoking.

 

If you haven't experienced it, no, you wouldn't understand.

 

[RuMR]

yeah right...

 

I KNOW how to cut weight...that is nothing but a lame excuse...

 

"I, I just can't can't help it...I just just have to shove this crack-donut into my cake hole"..."i'm so addicted"..."i can't help myself"

 

Quit making excuses, buy a bag of celery stalks, some seasoning salt, and when the urge strikes you to piggy out and get large, chew on the celery...

[RuMR]

the real reason you can't lose weight is that you are looking for the surefire, easy bullshit way out...hence, your question about ephedra...

 

jeezus, you wanna lose weight, why don't you do meth [insert dripping sarcasm emoticon]? Its the same principle that you are talking about...

[knotzen]

OK, I hear ya.

[RuMR]

another thing...a crash diet is stupid...you shouldn't drop more than a pound to 2 pounds (depending on how large a frame you have) a week if you wanna really keep it off in the long run....