ECA stack?

[MrMel]

Ive seen many posts about people taking an ECA (ephedrin, caffeine, aspirin)stack.

Can someone tell me what its all about or point me in the right direction?

Is it safe?

Im trying to lose weight, will it help me too?

Sorry for the noob question.

Thanks!

[snaynay1]

It is a stack of items that burns fat. Used to be the main ingredients for fatburners like ripped fuel, hydroxycut and all the other fatburners. Then ephedra got banned so all those products had to take the ephedra out. I am doing just EC and no aspirin and it is working great for me. I take 25 mg of ephedrine and 200 mg of caffine 3 times a day. You have to buy a product that contains ephedrine. Look for vasopro on bodybuilding.com's store. Then go buy yourself some type of caffine pill with 200 mg of caffine. Start out with half a tablet of vasopro and the caffine pill to access your tolerance to the stuff, then increase the ephedrine dose to 25 mg if you are okay with that.

[wonderif1000]

Ive seen many posts about people taking an ECA (ephedrin, caffeine, aspirin)stack.

Can someone tell me what its all about or point me in the right direction?

Is it safe?

Im trying to lose weight, will it help me too?

Sorry for the noob question.

Thanks!

Hope this helps a little.

All You Ever Wanted to Know About the ECA Stack
By: Jay Horowitz

Everyone in the gym is probably talking about the ever-famous fat loss stack of Ephedrine, Caffeine, and Aspirin. The only thing is that if you were to ask them a question about it, other than, "Does it work?", they would probably be dumbfounded. Like most supplements these days, those who take them are uneducated about the mechanism of action, possible side-effects, etc. As I tried to do with my article on Creatine, I hope this article clears up any misconceptions about the ECA stack you may have.
Ephedrine and caffeine, when combined, have the ability to reduce your bodyfat and retain your muscle mass while you are dieting. Until ECA came along, this was unheard of. Bodybuilders would have to eat huge quantities of food while bulking up, and then cut down on fat. Over the years, many studies have backed up this claim. ECA is also given credence by many well respected sports-medicine authorities.

The first thing you should know about ECA is how it works. What is the science behind this wonder-drug? Ephedrine and caffeine act in a synergistic manner. They work together. Ephedrine stimulates your nervous system in many ways. The two we are most concerned with are the release of nor-epinephrine, and the stimulation of beta-2-androgenic receptors. Just in case you were wondering, it is banned by many sports governing bodies, including the NCAA and the IOC. Taking these two drugs together actually mimic the effects of amphetamines, which are powerful stimulants. The only real difference is the effects aren't as strong, and there are no side effects of amphetamines associated with EC. Ephedrine is actually sold as "herbal ecstasy." If you are looking to improve your looks, you are more concerned with the ability to increase the body's production of heat, or thermogenesis.

Aspirin was first added to the stack about 11 years ago by two scientists at the department of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Until this day this addition has been very controversial. It was added to supposedly increase thermogenesis. On paper, it all seems to work out, but this still has suprisingly never been proven to work in scientific studies. Some scientists even caution against adding aspirin to the stack because of serious complications associated with long-term use. Most people are unaware that aspirin is a double-edged sword. Some of its side-effects worth noting include dizziness, dimness of vision, acute reversable hepatotoxicity, thinning of blood, skin rash, gastrointestinal upset, and decreased plasma iron concentration.

So how does caffeine make its way into this stack? Ephedrine increases the release of norepinephrine, and caffeine and aspirin act to keep norepinephrine levels from declining. Other benefits can also be reaped from this stack. Ephedrine and caffeine have great appetite-suppression actions, and can also increase aerobic capacity.

Safety concerns with the ECA stack. Ephedrine should not be used if you have high blood pressure, heart problems, prostate enlargement, depression, thyroid disease or diabetes, or if you are currently taking medication for asthma. Be sure to ask your doctor if the ECA stack is right for you. For most people, moderate use of ephedrine (25-50 mg daily for 6-8 weeks) is considered safe, but smaller people should stick to half of the reccommended value. Do not drink alcohol while taking ephedrine! Ephedrine is a drug, and it's not for everyone. It is definitely not reccommended for use by those under 18. Do not exceed the label reccommendations, as a little goes a long way. Ephedrine has a very small window of safety, and people who take it can develop a tolerance. If this happens, and you decide to up the dose, it cam become toxic and deadly. While some may say that up to 100mg daily is fine, take no more than 50mg daily (unless you enjoy nervousness, irritability, insomnia, tachycardia, increased blood pressure, stomach cramps, peptic ulcers, and prostate irritation). To avoid the side effects (and addiction), cycle ECA. Be careful not to get too much caffeine by accidentally doubling up from other sources, such as coffee, tea, or soda.

To close, ECA effectively supercharges your nervous system, but it can be harmful if not used carefully. Good luck with bodybuilding.

[wonderif1000]

The E/C/A Stack!
By: Joe Corleone

The E/C/A (ephedrine/caffeine/aspirin) stack is one of the most powerful fat burning/energy enhancing stacks ever!

In this article, I will review each of the ingredients in the stack and their effectiveness on their own and when mixed with the other ingredients. I will use the bodybuilding.com message boards as well as my own experience and that of my brother.

Ephedrine
This is the main ingredient in the stack for both fat burning and energy enhancing. It is still very effective on its own but it is extra effective when mixed with caffeine. Often referred to as Ma Huang (its Chinese name), ephedra is the herbal equivalent of ephedrine. Pure ephedrine is extracted from the ephedra plant but that's not important. What you want to know is how effective it is. Well, it is extremely effective when used properly. It can speed up the fat burning process extremely effectively and you can expect to get cut a lot quicker than normally. However, there are a few things that you should consider before you rush out and buy some. One thing you must bear in mind is that, along with fat burning, the ephedrine will attempt to burn off your hard earned muscle as well (I lost a whole inch off my legs the first time I used it). I've found that the most effective way of combating this fat loss is to supplement with protein throughout the day - not just once or twice a day as you might usually.

When using ephedra as an energy enhancer, you also have to be careful with the dosage that you use. I have found that if I take a full 20mg dose of ephedrine, my heart rate goes up too much, I feel jittery and I cannot complete an effective weight lifting workout. However, some people (see the bodybuilding.com message boards) find that it gives them just the boost they need to lift heavier weights and grow!

Something you need to consider whether you are using the stack to burn fat or increase energy, is the amount of ephedrine you take. My brother hates this supplement because he gets headaches, feels jittery and he sweats even without doing anything - and that's when he's built up to the minimum dose. He reckons he's just very sensitive to the stuff, but still does not recommend any taking it. I find that if I build up to the minimum fat-burning dose, I can quite easily burn fat and not notice any other side effects except increased concentration and very slight "jitteryness".

Apparently, there was a death from taking an ephedrine supplement, but the woman who died was taking massive amounts of the stuff and not eating.

Because of this, and other things such as the fact that some people have decided to put huge amounts of the stuff in pills and sell them as fake ecstasy tablets, ephedrine is illegal for resale in the UK (class C penalties apply) but it is perfectly legal to posses it. I also understand that it is perfectly legal almost everywhere in the US. In Australia, most supplements are illegal; including this (at least that's as far as I know.)

Caffeine
On its own, you will not notice much from caffeine, but in this stack, along with ephedrine, you have the most effective and cheapest fat burning stack that I, for one, have ever seen.

It's hard to say much else about this ingredient, except that it is perfectly legal everywhere (that I have heard of) and you have to take massive quantities of it before it becomes dangerous.

Aspirin
As far as I can gather, the idea of adding aspirin to the stack is that it thins the blood and so more fat cells can be carried away (I'm no expert). I also understand that it makes next to no difference to the effectiveness of the stack and is more in the mind than anywhere else. Also, there have been doubts raised about the safety of aspirin in the stack. I do not think they will hurt you unless you are taking the stack all year round for years, but why take the extra risk for tiny effects? It's your call.

Conclusion
I don't think you will have a problem with this stack - not as long as you take it sensibly. I also recommend that, if you can, you find a supplement without aspirin or white willow bark because of the dangers which may be associated with them.

Best results from this stack, as a fat burner, are probably achieved by cycling it for 6 weeks at a time and then taking 2 weeks away from it.

To use it for energy enhancing, you only need take it on workout days. There is no need to "load" this supplement, as you would with Creatine and if you decide to stop taking it at any time, you will encounter no health problems.

One thing to bear in mind, however, is that if you do stop taking it, you will have to be extra, extra, extra careful with your dieting and eat less calories because your metabolism will slow down - it may even slow down slower than it was when you started!

Please be careful and, as my bro always says, do your research first! If in ANY doubt at all, ask a doctor.

I hope this is useful!

[MrMel]

Wow! Thanks guys!

Im going to read all this and decide if I am going to take it.
Im 207 right now and I want to get back to about 185
soon but safely.

BTW...reps 4 both of you.

[wonderif1000]

Im going to read all this and decide if I am going to take it.
Im 207 right now and I want to get back to about 185
soon but safely.

MrMel,

Good luck to you. This is a great site to ask questions, read, learn, and get support. Many many intelligent people around always ready to help out when they can. In case you have not already read this here is a helpful link:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=81315

Peace

[Madevilz]

Did you guys have better results under ephedra or ephedrine?

[MrMel]

MrMel,

Good luck to you. This is a great site to ask questions, read, learn, and get support. Many many intelligent people around always ready to help out when they can. In case you have not already read this here is a helpful link:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=81315

Peace

Thanks! Yes, I have read it....very good info! This site is great!
About 1+ years ago, with the help of my gf and my nutrition classes when I was taking Pre-Med in college, I went from 262 to 170 eating clean and working out 6 days a week. I was lean but skinny looking (at least to me.) BUT, even at that weight I still couldnt see ANY of my six pack.
But this time, with the help of my gf and this site, I am eating even cleaner than before, working out smarter, and am going to go from 207 to 185 AND have a six pack showing! This time I eat more good fats and good carbs...which I know is healthier.

I love to workout! I cant wait until its time to hit the gym!

[stahlhart]

Did you guys have better results under ephedra or ephedrine?

Some folks have noted that synthetic is more effective than herbal, but I haven't noticed a difference myself...

C.K.

[stahlhart]

Here's bb.com's boilerplate thread on the subject:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=316758&

C.K.

[wonderif1000]

About 1+ years ago, with the help of my gf and my nutrition classes when I was taking Pre-Med in college, I went from 262 to 170 eating clean and working out 6 days a week. I was lean but skinny looking (at least to me.) BUT, even at that weight I still couldnt see ANY of my six pack.
But this time, with the help of my gf and this site, I am eating even cleaner than before, working out smarter, and am going to go from 207 to 185 AND have a six pack showing! This time I eat more good fats and good carbs...which I know is healthier.

Well it sounds like you have come along way already, Congrats. It's fantastic you have the support and help from your gf. In my opinion nothing beats having support/help from the people close to you. Sure makes things easier when working out and eating right can become part of your lifestyle rather than something you try to do when you have time or it’s convenient. Very hard to do without the support/help form the people you spend so much time with. My family plays a big part in me keeping myself in shape. I also believe by doing so I set a good example to my children.

Keep us posted on your progress.


Peace

[wonderif1000]

Here's bb.com's boilerplate thread on the subject:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=316758&

C.K.

This was a good read

[apace]

i used the e/c/a stack for a long time , apart from some extra nerves and insomnia it was ok , but this time i was thinking of changing the aspirin with white willow bark would it be ok ? as aspirin does some harm to the body if taken in access and 900 mg a day is no joke

[p0fell0w]

bump good info

[Chunkybutt123]

This is my first time on here so I'm not really sure whether I'm supposed to ask a question on a thread or whether I am to advise people !?!? :s
Here is my question:

I am 18 male, and 14 stone I am 5 ft 9", I am attending a gym and interval training on the treadmill and the cross trainer regularly, my diet is : morning : porridge or 2 boiled eggs, snack : hand full of pineapple, lunch: chicken with a handful of brown rise, 2nd snack : oat bar, dinner : chicken breast cooked in olive oil on a grill with vegetables. I also drink quite slot of water.
Doing this I have lost two stone in around a month and a half Which I know is dangerous but i have worked really hard in the gym. These are genuine results I'm not trying to prove anything by lying.
Now my weight loss seems to have really slowed down and I asked around at the gym for advise and ended up being sold ephedrine!
Not really sure what mg.
I am looking to take this with caffeine and aspirin and wanted some advice on the safety of me doing this and the ratios that are recommended, also if anyone has advice on whether an eca stack is effective or not please let me know.
I really hope I haven't offended or annoyed anyone by posting this question on a thread but I'm not to sure how this works as it is the first forum I have ever joined
Any replies would be great

[mario002500]

Ive seen many posts about people taking an ECA (ephedrin, caffeine, aspirin)stack.

Can someone tell me what its all about or point me in the right direction?

Is it safe?

Im trying to lose weight, will it help me too?

Sorry for the noob question.

Thanks!

been reading about this eca stack myself.. I think this would be a powerful eca stack https://store.lockoutforums.com/inde...cts_id=2000083 has all the ingredients you are looking for plus has dmaa in it all in one bottle except the aspirin which you have to get seperately.......

[annadz]

I am doing the stack now with 200 mg of caffeine and 8mg of ephedrine twice a day... I used to do more but the effects can scare you in the beginning if you are not used to it. If before you drank a lot of coffee and were used to stimulants you should be ok. It is not pleasant in general, although even at 200mg of caffeine and 16mg of ephedrine 2X a day I've heard there is really not that big of a risk. Some people even take 3 ephedrine pills (24mg) and 200 mg of caffeine 3 times a day!! (And they are still alive)