The
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this site is for 
EPHEDRA
AKA:
Evulgaris, Somlatha, Joint Pine, Mormon Tea, ma haung,
Ephedra Vulgaris, Brigham tea, cao ma huang (Chinese ephedra), desert
herb, desert tea, E. shennungiana, E. sinica, ephedrine, epitonin,
joint fir, mahuang, mahuuanggen (root), Mexican tea, muzei mu
huang (Mongolian ephedra), popotillo, sea grape, squaw tea, teamster's
tea, yellow astringent, yellow horse, zhong ma huangThe Ephedra plant is found on sandy seashores in the temperate regions of both hemispheres. It is a shrub like plant that has stamens and pistils on separate flowers, staminate flowers with catkin clusters and a membranous perianth, along with flowers on the pistil with auxiliary stalks, within a two leaved involucres. The part of the plant that people use as an herb is the green stem from several species that are native to central Asia.
Ephedrine is the naturally occurring amphetamine like compound that is found within the Ephedra herb. It is a powerful stimulant that can dramatically increase your pulse rate, suppress your appetite, and make you feel alert and energetic. Ephedra also helps the white blood cells produce a chemical called interferon, which helps fight infection.
Uses
Zen monks were the first to
utilize this powerful nerve and heart
stimulate, using it to promote a sense of calmness and concentration
during meditation. Historically, ephedrine has been used as
an antibiotic, antiseptic, immune stimulator, depurative, digestive
suppresser, a blood purifier and sweat and inducer. It has
been used as a stimulating aid to digestion, and as a mouthwash to help
with toothaches and painful gums.
In China, the Ephedra herb is known as ma haung, and it is a popular remedy for chills and fevers as well as coughs and wheezing. They also combine it with rehmannia to help treat kidney disorders. Out here in the West, Ephedra is primarily used to treat asthma, hay fever, and to help stop the onset of colds and flu. Ephedra is also used to help raise blood pressure, cool fevers and alleviate rheumatism. Ephedra has also been used to achieve weight loss, however the dose for ephedra based weight loss drugs usually far exceeds the 150 mg per day safety limit.
Side effects
When Ephedra is abused (for weight loss and recreational use) it can lead to amphetamine like side effects: high blood pressure, racing heart beat, nervousness, irritability, headaches, trouble urinating, and insomnia. At higher doses, Ephedra can cause a dramatic increase in blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmia. The drug ephedrine is habituating (meaning that you need to take more and more to get the same effect) but it unclear if the whole herb form Ephedra has the same effect.
Diet pills with ephedra have been banned by the FDA. It is not really safe to use this kind of appetite suppressant pill anymore even though it could be more effective than the other pills available today. If ever you can find them offline or in the internet, you should avoid them just to be safe. Some of them may even be just placebos and if not they are just sold illegally.
In China, the Ephedra herb is known as ma haung, and it is a popular remedy for chills and fevers as well as coughs and wheezing. They also combine it with rehmannia to help treat kidney disorders. Out here in the West, Ephedra is primarily used to treat asthma, hay fever, and to help stop the onset of colds and flu. Ephedra is also used to help raise blood pressure, cool fevers and alleviate rheumatism. Ephedra has also been used to achieve weight loss, however the dose for ephedra based weight loss drugs usually far exceeds the 150 mg per day safety limit.
Side effects
When Ephedra is abused (for weight loss and recreational use) it can lead to amphetamine like side effects: high blood pressure, racing heart beat, nervousness, irritability, headaches, trouble urinating, and insomnia. At higher doses, Ephedra can cause a dramatic increase in blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmia. The drug ephedrine is habituating (meaning that you need to take more and more to get the same effect) but it unclear if the whole herb form Ephedra has the same effect.
Diet pills with ephedra have been banned by the FDA. It is not really safe to use this kind of appetite suppressant pill anymore even though it could be more effective than the other pills available today. If ever you can find them offline or in the internet, you should avoid them just to be safe. Some of them may even be just placebos and if not they are just sold illegally.
HEALTH TIP
BEAUTY TIP
RECOMMENDED
EPHEDRA
USES
Ephedra for weight Loss
The Chinese have been using the ephedra (which they call the mahuang plant) plant for thousands of years to treat a breathing problems, to speed up the metabolism and to enhance the libido. More recently, in late twentieth century, the West discovered that this ancient herb derived from a evergreen also had thermogenic and stimulating properties that made it a powerful dietary supplement, especially when combined (stacked) with caffeine or other herbal stimulant.
How ephedra works on your waistline
Being thermogenic, ephedra triggers your brain to raise your bodies core temperature, this rise in metabolic activity requires more calories. Since it is also a stimulant and appetite suppressant, ephedra causes your body to start to burn fat, taking your adispose tissue and turning it into heat. This fat burning cycle targets those hard to reach fatty deposits in the abdomen, hips, and thighs.
Being a stimulant that is especially reactive when stacked with other herbal stimulants like caffeine, ephedra can give you a rush of energy that will have you bouncing off the walls. This surge of energy will then propel to either exercise it off or to twitch in your seat. Along with rise in temperature, this extra energy that your muscles demand can further boost your weight loss by eating even more excess calories.. However, even if you do not have time to run it off, the nervous energy is likely out come out in twitches and fidgets. While shaking your foot or tapping your pencil will do nothing for your cardio needs, it will result in more calories burned throughout the day.
Because of health concerns related to the herbs strong reaction to the nervous system, over the counter ephedra products are no longer available in the United States and most of the weight loss supplements that once utilized it have now switched over to other herbs such as bitter orange which work in much the same way as ephedra. Despite the controversy, ephedra, or Ma Haung is still a popular weight loss supplement in other parts of the world and many supplements with lower doses of the alkaloid ephedra are finding their way back on U.S. shelves.
Here are some of the more popular diet supplements that use ephedra:
Metabadrol: this is new version of the once extremely popular diet pill: Metabolife. It uses ephedra mixed with caffeine to give the user energy and a fat burning metabolism. Also included in the mix are aspirin (enhances the effect of ephedra) , hoodia (an appetite suppressant) and yohimbine ( a stimulant).
Green Stinger: With a mix of ephedra, caffeine, and the anabolic inducer yohimbe, this is the herbal supplement of choice for athletes and body builders. It can help you burn off the fat well promoting lean muscle growth leaving you with a tone look.
Yellow Bullets: these little yellow bullets contain the thermogenic magic of ephedra and caffeine to help you blast away those hard to reach fatty deposits.
Mini-Thins: If you can find them, use with extreme caution. These little pills contain a really potent form of ephedra sinica and can also be habit forming.