Ephedrine

Ephedrine is found naturally within the ephedra sinica (Ma Huang) herb and is revered for the intense energy, appetite suppression, and noticeable weight loss it can provide.

Despite meeting all the qualifications in DSHEA to be classified as a legal dietary supplement ingredient, ephedrine is no longer able to be sold over the counter in dietary supplement formulas in the USA.

What it does
How it works
Dosing
References

What it does

Ephedrine has amassed a wide array of scientific evidence showcasing its capabilities as an extremely effective weight loss tool. Numerous studies have proved beyond any measurable doubt that it is effective at decreasing fat mass^[1]^[2]^[3], with results showing a decrease of up to 6.6% in body fat. Ephedrine has shown the ability to significantly increase a user’s metabolic rate^[4]^[5]^[6] as well, which is one of the reasons behind why it is capable of helping one lose weight so effectively.

Ephedrine has also been shown to be an effective nasal decongestant^[7]. Due to this benefit of the compound, it is still able to be purchased in over the counter products such as “Bronkaid” in general health stores/pharmacies such as CVS, Walgreens, and more.

How it works

Ephedrine impacts its benefits via stimulation of the adrenergic receptor system by increasing the activity of norepinephrine (adrenaline) at both alpha and beta receptors. It increases CNS (central nervous system) activity in a capacity similar to that of amphetamines, but in a less pronounced manner.

Dosing

Ephedrine is most commonly used in conjunction with caffeine to produce the most noticeable benefits. It can be taken up to 3 times per day, with doses of 20-25mg in combination with 150-200mg of caffeine at each dose. Due to the stimulatory effects of ephedrine, one should be wary of taking a dose too close to bedtime as it may cause sleeplessness.

Ephedrine

Contents

What it does

How it works

Dosing

References