Who are these idiots overdosing on ephedrine?

[Paragon]

It isn't dangerous if you read the friggin' label and follow the damn directions.

Someone get these morons off my C-SPAN.

[GOPisEvil]

1. I used it, and didn't have a problem.

But then, I know how to read and follow directions.

By the way, I don't use it anymore, and I cleared it with my doctor before I started. He said that if I did not experience rapid heart beat, or high blood pressure, I'd be OK.

[lcordero]

2. what's nastier is that aspartame isn't being investigated

Rumsfeld has something to do with that.

[soleft]

3. asthma medication

a lot of the athletes who have had reactions were also taking asthma medication

[Paragon]

4. Good point

How many athletes these days can read, much less read the side of a bottle of Hydroxycut.

[GOPisEvil]

5. When I had a cold, and was taking decongestant (pseudo-ephedrine),

I stopped taking the ephedra. Just like the label says.

[shockandawed]

6. The directions aren't the problem

The problem with ephedra is this:

First, dietary supplements that contain ephedra are not tested for content, concentration or contaminants. This means that GNC store bought supplements claiming to contain 5% ephedra could easily contain TEN TIMES that amount. The FDA does not regulate the manufacture of these products. As often as not, supplements claiming that they contain something often do not contain any ephedra whatsoever.
There are countless articles discussing the need for the FDA to define a drug or food as something we put in our mouths and swallow. I don't know how this is not regulated, but it isn't. THE RESULT IS THAT MANY PEOPLE UNWITTINGLY TAKE MANY TIMES THE SUGGESTED DOSE.

Secondly, some folks can be allergic to ephedra, and it can also aggrevate existing heart irrhythmia, causing stroke, fainting, and sudden death.

This is not a user problem, it is a supplier problem. No regulation, no monitored manufacture, no medical proof showing safety and efficacy, no followup on side effects to determine the safe dose.

[Paragon]

7. Uh...no.

If a manufacturer produced a bottle of their product with "TEN TIMES THE AMOUNT" of anything they promise, then they'd be liable, regulations or no. If you've heard of this happening, I'd really like to hear about it...otherwise, it's just good, old fashioned fearmongering.

Some folks can be allergic to strawberries, which could aggrevate existing heart irrythmia, causing stroke, fainting, and sudden death.

[AnnabelLee]

8. Among *some* non-union truckers,

ephedrine is known as "road dope". They can't make a living if they want to sleep, so they do whatever they can to drive as long as they can.:-(

[jmm]

9. Some people don't realize what they're taking.

It's sold under many different names. I recently heard a friend who was taking Ma Huang and guarana talk about how stupid people taking ephedra and caffeine were :crazy:.