Ephedra users can expect little government protection against the product's dangers, CU said. The Food and Drug Administration's ability to restrict use of supplements in general was sharply limited by the 1994 supplements regulation law, and even labeling of ingredients can be vague and misleading, it said. Ephedra has valuable uses, the Council for Responsible Nutrition countered. Ephedra can provide an energy boost to help athletes keep working out, it said. Voluntary labeling can note any cardiovascular risks, the council said.
Creatine is one of the most popular muscle-building aids.
This amino acid helps muscles resupply themselves with the energy they use in powerful bursts of activity, such as weight training. Some studies have shown that athletes who use creatine can improve their performance, but the benefits are only for explosive activities such as high jumping, not for endurance activities such as running, the CU report said. However, creatine has its drawbacks. Some of the bulking-up may be water retention, not muscle gain, the article said. And the consumer group and the industry group agreed that people with existing kidney problems should not use the product.