Published
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/1671.52406
Ephedra can cause heart complications, high blood pressure, seizures, strokes, even death, especially when combined with other stimulants like caffeine, guarana, and ginseng -- which are also common ingredients in these drinks. In the early 1980s, the FDA banned pills combining ephedra and caffeine, but a 1994 law removed dietary supplements from FDA control.
Although side effects to supplements do not have to be reported, about 800-1,200 serious reactions to ephedra have been -- less than 10% of the actual number, estimates Gurley. "I get calls literally every day from consumers, lawyers, and doctors describing bad reactions to ephedra," he says. "The public is not aware of the hidden dangers of these products."
When 15-20 different herbal extracts and "metabolic boosters" mix with ephedra and caffeine, side effects may be delayed or unpredictable, including insomnia, nervousness, headache, nausea, tremor, and heart palpitations. Some are serious or even fatal, like seizures, heart attack, kidney stones, and stroke.
When I was in Virginia, I took care of a patient in CCU who had a heart attack while he was taking Metabolite. Sure he probably already had coronary artery disease, but the Metabolite didn't help matters.
I once took Dexatrim...the so called "natural" one with "natural" ephredra. I had so much palpitations and fast heart rates it scared the poop out of me.
Changing my eating habits and walking worked much better for me and my health.
We (Hematology) have noted unusual cases of new onset severe thrombocytopenia and suspected ITP (idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura recently in people using Metabolife. All in people previously quite healthy - I posted a thread a while back on it. Don't know if it was a fluke or what.
I personally find that my coworkers that are using metabolite have all the personality of pit vipers. It is debatable whether they are more obnoxious on the drug or when they 'kick' the drug at the end.
My Dear Shay,
Please get off this stuff right now. Better a big, tall latte to get you going in the morning than this cr*p! A friend of my mother's spent 2 weeks in the hospital as a result of a bad reaction to Metabolife.
Like all "nutritional supplements", it is virtually unregulated by the FDA. Its manufacturer does not need to prove safety or effectiveness, and being unregulated means that there is no guarantee of standardization. The product may or may not contain the ingredients listed on the label in the amounts listed. For example, if ephedra is listed as an ingredient, one capsule may contain no ephedra at all and the next may contain 200mg. There is also a great risk that a capsule may contain ingredients not listed at all to which you may be sensitive or allergic. Taking this stuff is a cr*pshoot at best. I enjoy your Maternal-Child posts too much to lose sleep knowing that you're risking your health for Metabolife!
flowerchild
381 Posts
This is an herbal based weight loss pill. Anybody else seeing patients with severe adverse reactions?