Ephedra Based Diet Pills

by The Body Pharmacy

With the bad press and reputation, Ephedra based diet pills are thought to be banned.  However, the issue with ephedra pills is constantly revolving, as the ban was placed into effect in some states, but not others. 

Ephedra based diet pills, which stem from a natural herb, provide individuals with a boost in energy.  However, this herbal supplement has been associated with health problems, such as hypertension, heart attack, cardiac arrhythmia, and even death. To date, there have been 100 deaths that are thought to be related to the consumption of ephedra based diet pills.

The public’s attention was focused on ephedra based diet pills after the death of Steve Bechler, a pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles. Bechler, only twenty-three years old at the time of his death, passed away from heatstroke during an early training session. Steve was known to be taking an ephedra based product at the time of his death. A medical examiner contributed ephedra to the pitcher’s untimely death.

The Confusion with Ephedra Based Diet Pills and Products

There are several reasons why there has been such confusion revolving around Ephedra based diet pills.  Three years ago, the Food and Drug Administration declared that Ephedra was safe to use in weight loss products. The FDA announced that this herb was not harmful and was safe for public consumption.

Approximately one year later, the Food and Drug Administration placed a ban on the sale of Ephedra based diet bills.  There were several companies that challenged this ban. Some of the companies, such as Nutracetical Corporation, won their lawsuits. This was because the FDA had not proven that the use of ten milligrams or less of the herb was dangerous.  Therefore, the ban was only applied on the states that signed the ban.

However, the marketing campaigns surrounding Ephedra based diet pills created even more confusion. Different companies started to advertise Ephedra-like products for sale. This brought the word Ephedra back to the consumer’s attention, and copycat Ephedra based diet pills began to flood the weight loss market, with dozens of products promising Ephedra-like results.

Finally, after consumers rallied and fought, the FDA declared it illegal to produce products and sell products that contained Ephedra. The FDA declared that this herb was a very dangerous substance.  Therefore, Ephedra based diet pills can no longer be sold in the United States.

The Future for Diet Pills with Ephedra

Other companies have created challenges to this ban, and experts estimate that these lawsuits will be tied up in court for the next several years.  There are a number of companies that want to make it harder for the FDA to ban the use of certain herbal supplements.  To date, it seems that this is a battle with no end in sight.

Currently, it is illegal to sell or buy ephedra based diet pills in the United States. There have been many consumer advocacy groups that rally for the FDA to have stricter testing regimes for herbal supplements.  On the other hand, the companies that disagree with this line of thought tend to be the manufacturers of ephedra based diet pills and other products. It is unclear how or when this battle will end.