Ephedra Diet Pills Illegal In The United States

In 2004 the FDA advise consumers to stop using dietary supplements containing ephedra , the safety of diet pills with ephedra supplements have been under  question by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and the medical community because of it’s high rate of deaths and serious side effects. 

The sale of ephedra-containing dietary supplements is illegal in the United States because of all the evidence of adverse ephedra-related effects.

What evidence was collected to determine the safety and effectiveness of diet pills with ephedra?

The FDA reviewed information about ephedra’s pharmacology, studies of its safety and effectiveness, newly available adverse event reports, and the RAND Corporation report—a review of the published scientific literature on ephedra efficacy and safety, sponsored by NCCAM and the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements. In addition, the FDA considered additional recent studies confirming that ephedra use raises blood pressure and otherwise stresses the circulatory system. In February 2003, the agency solicited public comments regarding ephedra’s side effects and whether ephedra-containing dietary supplements pose a “significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury.”

The Consumer Advisory On Diet Pills With Ephedra Summary States:

There is strong evidence that ephedra is associated with an increased risk of side effects, possibly even fatal ones. There is no evidence that ephedra products enhance athletic performance. There is little evidence of any benefit except for short-term weight loss. Taken together, the FDA recommends that consumers immediately stop using dietary supplements containing ephedra or ephedrine alkaloids.

While respecting the traditional uses of herbal medicines, their long history of use, and their potential health benefits, NCCAM believes that ephedra poses unique public health risks that warrant the FDA’s actions to prohibit the sale of ephedra-containing dietary supplements.

Consumers need to be informed of the potential risks and benefits of herbal products. It is best to discuss use of herbal products with one’s health care provider.

You can read the full consumer advisory here  

The follow information is from a FDA NEWS RELEASE  On December 6th 2005

FDA Acts to Seize Diet Pills With Ephedra 

At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon filed Complaints for Forfeiture against Nature’s Treat Energy Plus #1, a dietary supplement that contains ephedra, an herbal source of ephedrine alkaloids. The supplement is distributed by Nature’s Treat, Inc., Gainesville, Texas and ACD Distributing, LLC, of Eugene, Oregon.

“FDA will do all we can to protect Americans from potentially dangerous dietary supplements,” said Andrew von Eschenbach, MD, Acting FDA Commissioner. “We will continue to warn consumers to avoid consumption of dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids.”

Ephedrine alkaloids are adrenaline-like stimulants that can have potentially dangerous effects on the heart. Recent studies have confirmed that ephedrine alkaloids raise blood pressure and otherwise stress the circulatory system, effects that are linked to adverse health effects like heart attacks and strokes. Based on this and other evidence in the scientific literature, FDA issued a rule in 2004 declaring that dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids present an unreasonable risk of illness or injury. According to the product’s label, the recommended daily dose of Energy Plus #1 contains 46.8 mg of ephedrine alkaloids.

U.S. Marshals seized 2634 bottles (120 capsules per bottle) of Nature’s Treat Energy Plus #1 (lot numbers 205108 and 205109) from Nature’s Treat, Inc., Gainesville, Texas. Also seized were 363 bottles of the same lot numbers from ACD Distributing. The seized products have a total retail value of approximately $150,000.