October 3 ,
2005
Ephedra-Free Diet Pills Not Risk-Free
Ephedra, an herbal stimulant, was banned in 2003 after reports of heart attack, stroke, and at least 155 deaths caused by diet drugs containing this supplement. In a scramble to develop new replacement weight-loss aids, drug manufacturers produced drugs containing extracts of bitter orange. Studies are finding these new ephedra-free diet pills carry side effect risks of their own.
Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco have discovered that Advantra Z and Xenadrine EFX increased the heart rates and the blood pressure of ten healthy study participants. Both of these ephedra-free drugs contain extracts of bitter orange, a supplement used in traditional Chinese medicine for digestive problems. This extract is now replaced ephedra in popular diet drugs.
This botanical contains a compound similar to ephedra, called synephrine. Both of these compounds stimulate the central nervous system and are thought to increase the metabolism.
Dr. Christine Haller, lead author of the University of California, San Francisco study, points out that little research has been done to determine whether or not these new ephedra-free diet pills are safe or effective. She says the main concern about these new diet pills is the risk they pose to people with elevated blood pressure and conditions like diabetes: two medical conditions which are common in overweight and obese individuals.
“This does indicate that people should use caution [when using these ephedra-free diet drugs]” Haller says, especially since there is no evidence to suggest these products are even effective.
Haller's study found that Xenadrine increased healthy volunteer's blood pressure by nine to ten points, though Advantra did not produce the same results. This suggests that the combination of bitter orange extracts, caffeine, and other herbs in Xenadrine may be increase blood pressure. With both products, participant's heart rates elevated significantly within six hours of taking the diet supplement.
According to experts, people should be cautious when taking these bitter orange-containing diet drugs. Haller and colleagues remind consumers that ephedra-free does not mean risk-free. They recommend speaking with your doctor before taking any over-the-counter diet pills.
For
more information on ephedra side effects, including
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