Of these 43, three died, seven suffered permanent injury and four more required on-going medical treatment. They found that another seven deaths among this group. The UCSF scientists said the claimed benefits of these products are questionable and unproven compared with potentially severe risks. We believe there are many more injuries than are represented by the FDA reports. And with ephedra, the potential risks are not accompanied by any clear benefits.
Studies indicate that any weight loss achieved by using ephedrine is only temporary.
In addition, the body develops tolerance to ephedrine, so users must take a progressively larger dose to gain the same effect. Most of the stimulating supplements are derived from the herbal plant ma huang, and often also contain caffeine derived from guarana. Ephedrine and caffeine in combination produce a much more intense effect. The research is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.