Good Ephedrine & Caffeine link

[MISTERDUDE]

Very informative article, lots of citations to studies and very well written. A good reference for anyone considering the use of ephedrine and caffeine, with or without anything else.

Its long, so I did it in two posts.
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http://www.ephedra.demon.nl/stories/artik001.htm

Ephedrine & Caffeine: The Ideal Diet Pill?

by Larry Hobbs


The combination of ephedrine & caffeine (EC) appears to be among the best weight loss regimens available today. This remarkable combination:

1. Increases fat loss.
2. Maintains muscle mass.
3. Prevents the fall of HDL cholesterol during weight loss.
4. Increases insulin sensitivity.
5. Reduces lipogenesis.
6. Is very safe (despite recent sensationalist news reports to the contrary).

Here is the story of ephedrine & caffeine: The "ideal diet pill."

History

Ephedrine has been available in Germany since 1896 and in the U.S. since 1926. The ephedrine-containing herb ephedraor Ma Huanghas been used in Chinese medicine for 5,200 years. Juice made from Ma Huangcalled **** was used as a longevity drink in ancient times, and is mentioned in the earliest sacred religious writings of the Hindus in a collection called The Rigveda.

Weight Loss Studies

Researchers agree that the ideal diet pill should increase fat loss while simultaneously maintaining muscle mass. That is exactly what the combination of ephedra and caffeine (EC) does. One study found that dieting women given EC lost twice as much fat (9.9 lbs more) and three-quarters less muscle (6.2 lbs less) compared to those given a placebo, even though total weight loss was similar (22.2 lbs vs 18.5 lbs).

Another study found that EC is 20 to 29% more effective than dexfenfluramine (Redux). Participants in this study lost 20% more weight with EC than with dexfenfluramine (18.3 lbs vs -15.2 lbs). Of particular interest is that when the subgroup of patients who were the most overweight (40% or more overweight) was analyzed, it was found that those who took EC lost 29% more weight than those who took dexfenfluramine (-19.8 vs -15.4 lbs).

A third study found that ephedrine alone or caffeine alone did not enhance weight loss in people on a 1,000 calorie per day diet. However, the EC combination caused an additional weight loss of 6.6 to 10.1 lbs after six months of use.

How Does EC Cause Weight Loss?

EC causes weight loss by decreasing appetite (accounting for 75-80% of the weight loss) and increasing thermogenesis (accounting for 20-25% of the weight loss). Long-term use of ephedrine increases its effect on thermogenesis and decreases side effects. EC also corrects the lower-than-expected metabolism and lower-than-expected diet-induced thermogenesis found in people who are obese.

Benefits Beyond Weight Loss

Numerous studies have shown that ephedrine not only spares muscle during weight loss, but also maintains levels of protective HDL cholesterol that normally fall during weight loss. One study found that EC increased HDL levels by 9% compared to a decrease of 5% in those taking a placebo. This means that EC may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease! Although short-term use of ephedrine increases blood sugar in a dose-dependent manner, long-term use does not raise blood sugar and actually improves insulin sensitivity. Finally, ephedrine has been found to inhibit lipogenesis (the conversion of carbohydrates to fat).

Adverse Effects

Initially, most people will experience typical minor side effects with EC. These effects are dose-dependent and are dramatically reduced with continued use. One study found a 90% reduction in side effects after two months of use. The most common side effects include nervousness, agitation, hand tremor, and insomnia. An early researcher noted that people with "nervous" personalities tend to experience the most side effects. Side effects may be minimized or eliminated by starting with a small dose (perhaps 5 mg) and gradually increasing to a full dose over several weeks as tolerance develops.

Contraindications

Ephedrine should not be used by people with cardiovascular disease, angina, hypertension, thyroid disease, men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (an enlarged prostate), or those with a history of drug abuse. All of the above are relative contraindications to the use of ephedrine. However, because of the benefits that will result from fat-loss, and the ability of physicians to monitor side effects and prescribe medications to ameliorate the side effects, many physicians will recommend and monitor the judicious use of the EC combination when they believe it will be to the benefit of their patients.

Drug Interactions

Ephedrine should be used with care with non-specific MAO inhibitors or alpha-2 blockers*, as their combined effects may cause a hypertensive crisis. This is rarely a problem if initial doses of ephedrine are low and the dose is advanced slowly as tolerated.

Dosing

The most effective dose of EC appears to be 20 mg of ephedrine with 200 mg of caffeine. The studies have all used three doses per day an hour before each meal. However, two or even one dose per day are usually effective when initiating the program, with the dose advanced as tolerance develops. Anyone who experiences insomnia should skip the last dose of the day.

A recent study found that green tea polyphenols increased thermogenesis 20 -500% in a dose-dependent fashion. When a moderate dose of tea polyphenols were combined with ephedrine, thermogenesis increased 400-500% even more than with EC. This may be a way for people with sensitivity to caffeine to benefit from ephedrine. However, studies are needed to verify the effectiveness of this combination and to determine the optimum proper dosage. None the less, this may be a way for those who are sensitive to caffeine to still benefit from ephedrineas the combination of EC + green tea polyphenols may be even more effective.

*(MISTERDUDE's edit: Yohimbine is effective to use in conjunction too Please note that it is an alpha-2 blocker and so take it at your own risk. For more info on that, search for the "Basics of an ECY Stack" post.)

[MISTERDUDE]

Safety Of Ephedrine

Although recent sensational news reports have portrayed ephedrine and Ma Huang as dangerous, a large volume of scientific data has found it to be quite safe when used at the recommended doses.

Ephedrine is not very toxic...- Chen & Schmidt, 1924
Even in such large doses [ephedrine] did not do much damage, if any,... - Chen, 1926
Different workers agree that ephedrine has a... wide margin of safety. Chen, 1930
Prolonged [use of ephedrine] has no cumulative effect... Martindale, 1993
Even a report from the U.S. government found that ephedrine was safe when given to animals in large doses on a long-term basis. Mice and rats were given large doses of ephedrine (equivalent to 1-9 times the maximum dose used by humans) for 2 years. Their conclusions were:

There were no signs of long-term toxicity.
Animals given anything less than a lethal dose fully recovered with no ill effects.
There was no decrease in life span in ephedrine-fed animals; in fact, ephedrine increased the survival of female rats. (After 2 years 78% of female rats given ephedrine were still alive vs. only 54% of the control group.) It is also interesting to note that the ephedrine-fed animals maintained body weights that were 5-18% less than the controls. Ephedrine was an effective diet pill in these animals also. Ephedrine and caffeine certainly appear to be the "ideal diet pill".
Larry Hobbs writes a monthly column called "Fat News" for Muscular Development magazine and a newsletter called Obesity Research Update. He is the author of several books including Ephedrine & Caffeine: The Ideal Diet Pill? The newsletter can be ordered from Pragmatic Press, PO Box 5777, Irvine, CA 92616, (800) 454 -1974, (714) 854-1549 fax.



References

1. Chen KK, Schmidt CF. Ephedrine and related substances. Baltimore, The Williams & Wilkins company, 1930.

2. Weiner M. Weiner's Herbal: The Guide to Herb Medicine. Mill Valley, CA, Quantum Books, 1990.

3. Mahdihassan S, Mehdi FS. **** of the Rigveda and an attempt to identify it. Amrerican Journal of Chinese Medicine 17(1-2): 1-8, 1989.

4. Astrup A, Buemann B, Christensen NJ, Toubro S, Thorbek G, Victor OJ, Quaade F. The effect of ephedrine/caffeine mixture on energy expenditure and body composition in obese women. Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental. 41(7): 686-688, 1992.

5. Breum L, Pederson JK, Ahlstrom F, Frimodt-Moller. Comparison of an ephedrine/caffeine combination and dexfenfluramine in the treatment of obesity. A double-blind multi-center trial in general practice. International Journal of Obesity 18: 99-103, 1994.

6. Astrup A, Breum L, Toubro S, Hein P, Quaade F. The effect and safety of an ephedrine/caffeine compound compared to ephedrine, caffeine and placebo in obese subjects on an energy restricted diet. A double blind trial. International Journal of Obesity 16(4): 269-77, 1992.

7. Dulloo AG, Miller DS. The Thermogenic Properties of Ephedrine /Methylxanthine Mixtures: Human Studies. International Journal of Obesity 10: 467-481, 1986.

8. Astrup A, Toubro S, Christensen NJ, Quaade F. Pharmacology of thermogenic drugs. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 55(1 Supplement): 246S-248S, 1992.

9. Astrup A, Toubro S. Thermogenic, metabolic, and cardiovascular responses to ephedrine and caffeine in man. International Journal of Obesity 17 Supplement 1: S41-S43, 1993.

10. Astrup A, Lundsgaard C, Madsen J, Christensen NJ. Enhanced thermogenic respo nsiveness during chronic ephedrine treatment in man. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 42: 83-94, 1985.

11. Dulloo AG, Miller DS. The Thermogenic Properties of Ephedrine /Methylxanthine Mixtures: Human Studies. International Journal of Obesity 10: 467-481, 1986.

12. Horton TJ, Geissler CA. Aspirin potentiates the effect of ephedrine on the thermogenic response to a meal in obese but not lean women. International Journal of Obesity 15(5): 359-366, 1991.

13. Buemann B, Marckmann P, Christensen NJ, Astrup A. The effect of ephedrine plus caffeine on plasma lipids and lipoproteins during a 4.2 MJ/day diet. International Journal of Obesity 18: 329-332, 1994.

14. Astrup A, Toubro S, Cannon S, Hein P, Madsen J. Thermogenic, metabolic, and cardiovascular effects of a sympathomimetic agent, ephedrine. Current Therapeutic Research, 48(6): 1087-1100, 1990.

15. Astrup A, Toubro S, Christensen NJ, Quaade F. Pharmacology of thermogenic drugs. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 55(1 Supplement): 246S-248S, 1992.

16. Nishikawa T, Kimura T, Taguchi N, Dohi S. Oral clonidine preanesthetic medication augments the pressor responses to intravenous ephedrine in awake or anesthetized patients. Anesthesiology 74(4): 705-710, 1991.

17. Dullo AG, Seydoux J, Girardier L. Tealine and thermogenesis: Interactions between polyphenols, caffeine and sympathetic activity. International Journal of Obesity, May 1996, 20(Supplement 4):71 (abstract 08-178-WA1).

18. NTP technical report on the toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of ephedrine sulfate (CAS no. 134-72-5) in F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice (feed studies) National Toxicology Program. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health; Springfield, VA. Series title: NIH publication; no. 86-2563. Series title: Technical report series (National Toxicology Program (U.S.)); no. 307, 1986. (This NTP Technical Report 307 can be obtained by calling The National Toxicology Program @ (919) 541 -3419.)

[shadyniner]

How long should one stay on an EC stack? I have read up to 4 weeks, but that was a while ago. This article seems to suggest long term use is safe, but what is "long term"? How long can a human use it safely and effectively?

[MISTERDUDE]

How long should one stay on an EC stack? I have read up to 4 weeks, but that was a while ago. This article seems to suggest long term use is safe, but what is "long term"? How long can a human use it safely and effectively?

Long term it can be used for as long as 6 months. There was a havard study done for that duration. I would even imagine it could be used much longer, but I don't know why anyone would want to do that and never cycle off.

It will become less and less effective the longer its used, unless you get some other stuff that will help with that but I don't know if I can talk about that here. Go to the steroids section and look up 'super clen' to get an idea of what I'm talking about.

[pu12en12g]

3. Prevents the fall of HDL cholesterol during weight loss.

^^^ Very interesting.

[drjjg]

Awesome post.

[MATNAT]

ive posted this link before, its a good link to dispel the many myths of how long you should use ephedrine and caffiene, any adverse side effects, blood changes etc.....

it was presented to the international journal of obesity in 2002

enjoy..............


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q..._uids=12032741

[Immichaelski]

How about severe shrinkage??

[Immichaelski]

How about severe shrinkage??

[uknowmeman]

Shrinkage does occur....but wears off when the eca leaves your body......Its not a prolonged sustained effect.....

[majikC]

i've never in my life heard that ephedrine causes shrinkage? please elaborate.