Athletes, ephedrine

Concerns about the safety of ephedrine-containing products date back to 1994, when the FDA noticed an increase in the number of health problems associated with the use of ephedrine, including chest pain, headaches, increased blood pressure, heart attack, hepatitis (inflammation of the liver), stroke, seizures, and sometimes death. In 2001, the National Football League banned the use of ephedrine by professional football players. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Olympic committees have also banned the use of ephedrine by their athletes. In February 2004, ephedrine was finally banned by the FDA from being sold in the United States. To date, at least 100 deaths have been attributed to ephedrine use in the... 

Thyroid hormones were commonly cycled with Insulin, AAS, GH, IGF-1, PGF-2, Ephedrine, Clenbuterol, and other drugs by athletes. 

Why is an herbal supplement in a book intended to report upon the things hardcore athletes have done It should be recalled that most AAS synthesis begins with a plant extract as does ephedrine, methamphetamine, and heroin. The point being that powerful things come from many places... sometimes. 

When Creatine is ingested 45-90 minutes before a work-out, an athlete can take advantage of the training induced increases in blood flow to muscle tissue to transport essential nutrients across muscle cell membranes. (This also acts as a buffer to lactic acid) Since high intensity work-outs trigger the release of adrenal hormones such as Epinephrine and Norepinephrine, the cellular uptake of nutrients is improved. Remember, Ephedrine increases cellular uptake Well Ephedrine is an Epinephrine Mimicker. 

National Football League (NFL) joins the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in issuing a ban on ephedrine use. The NFL ban on ephedrine prohibits NFL players and teams from endorsing products containing ephedrine or companies that sell or distribute those products. 

Some body builders tout the combination of caffeine with the herbal stimulant ephedra as harmless, and suggest the combination helps turn fat into muscle. A study published in 2001 does support the claim that caffeine and ephedrine can boost results in laboratory attempts to mimic the tasks of competing athletes. However, ephedra, the herbal drug containing the chemical ephedrine, has been linked to several deaths. 

Because ephedra manufacturers claim that the product enhances athletic performance and builds lean muscle mass, ephedrine supplements are especially popular... 

The NCAA survey also revealed that most drug use, including ephedrine use, begins in high school. In fact, 62% of student athletes in the NCAA survey reported that they had started using nutritional supplements in junior or senior high school. 

Manufacturers of nutritional supplements containing ephedrine claim that the products can enhance athletic performance and improve physical fitness. Indeed, ephedrine supplements are popular among all sorts of athletes. As health concerns about ephedra grow, however, many professional and amateur athletes will find that they may have to choose between the sport they love and a questionable supplement. 

Even if serious health consequences do not follow ephedra use, users may experience other personal consequences. College athletes may incur a doping suspension if they test positive for ephedra, because the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) bans ephedrine. 

For most substances, just their presence in a urine sample means a positive result. Other substances must be present in an amount higher than a certain threshold. According to Dr. Ayotte, a male athlete would have to consume "10 very strong French coffees within 15 min" to go over the 12 mg/L limit for caffeine. Ephedrines and pseudoephedrines, two decongestants that are found in cough remedies and that act as stimulants, have a cut-off level. This allows athletes to take them up to one or two days before a competition. 

Ephedrine is isolated from ma huang, an herb used to treat respiratory ailments in traditional Chinese medicine. Once a popular drug to promote weight loss and enhance athletic performance, ephedrine has now been linked to episodes of sudden death, heart attack, and stroke. 

Shekelle PG, Hardy ML, Morton SC, et al. Efficacy and safety of ephedra and ephedrine for weight loss and athletic performance a meta-analysis. JAMA 2003 289 1537-1545. 

A stimulant that affects the nervous system, ephedrine has been used for decades as a component of nasal decongestants and asthma treatments. Ephedrine is also well known in athletic circles for its performance-enhancing properties. It causes high blood pressure and elevated heart rate, and is believed to increase the metabolism of those taking it for extended periods of time. This gives athletes more energy and allows calories to be burned more quickly. 

Shekelle, P., Hardy, M., Morton, S., Maglione, M., Mojica, W., Suttorp, M., Rhodes, S., Jungvig, L., and Gagne, J. 2003a. Efficacy and safety of ephedra and ephedrine for weight loss and athletic performance A meta-analysis. JAMA 289, 1537-1545. 

Some athletes claim GABA is effective when stacked with Clenbuterol. This would appear logical as GABA may have a sedative effect and may improve rest and recuperation on a clen cycle. GABA is also combined with the ephedrine, aspirin, caffeine stack. 

Ma huang Ephedrine (various Ephedra spp.) Stimulant athletic performance enhancement appetite suppressant Insomnia hypertension, tachycardia psychosis, seizures (see Caffeine, p 142). 

Some products containing ephedrine alkaloids are well-known dietary supplements. These alkaloids, namely, epinephrine and norepinephrine, naturally occur in low concentration in the human body. They have sympathomimetic effects and cause weight loss and enhanced athletic performance. According to new studies, ephedrine causes weight loss in lean but not in... 

Senchina DS, Hallan JE, Kohut Ml, Nguylu NA, Perrera A, Ann DN. Alkaloids and athlete immune function caffeine, theophylline, gingerol, ephedrine, and their congeners. Exerc Immunol Rev 2014 20 68-93. 

One of these is Ephedrine where the carbon chain plus aminic tail is CH(0H)CH(CH3)NH(CH3), looking like a close brother of PEA. Ephedrine is a natural product extracted from a plant called Ephedra and used in traditional Chinese medicine. It can also be made in the laboratory. Ephedrine is administered as a stimulant, appetite suppressant, and concentration aid. It seems to work by increasing the activity of norepinephrine. It is used, for example, by professional weightlifters and athletes. Another close brother of PEA is pseudoephedrine, which is a chiral isomer of ephedrine, and it causes vasoconstriction (constriction of blood vessels) and relaxation of smooth muscles, thus leading to bronchial dilation. It is administered for nasal/sinus congestion and difficulty in breathing. Methamphetamine is another... 

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