Stacker diet pills are over-the-counter slimming supplements developed by NVE Pharmaceuticals. The original Stacker pills included a stack of ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin. When The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned ephedra and ephedrine alkaloids in 2004, Stacker came out with an ephedra-free version. The new version however, still contains several ingredients that could be harmful to your health.
Caffeine
Stacker 2 contains 200 mg of caffeine while Stacker 3 contains 250 mg of caffeine. Large amounts of caffeine can commonly cause caffeinism. This syndrome can include symptoms of dizziness, irritability, nausea and nervousness. Severe side effects include allergic reactions, diarrhea, shakiness and vomiting. Women who consumed 31 to 250 mg of caffeine per day were also reported to have a 1.5 times increased odds of developing fibrocystic breast disease. If you take Stacker diet pills in addition to caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea or cola, you could be at risk of caffeinism.
Kola Nut
In addition to caffeine, Stacker diet pills also contain kola nut. This stimulant contains large amounts of caffeine and helps to fight fatigue. While it is not addictive like caffeine, it still has similar side effects including insomnia, anxiety, nervousness, gastrointestinal problems and tremors. These symptoms can be more prominent in Stacker users because the diet pills contain both caffeine and kola nut. In addition to these issues, heavy use of kola nut has also been associated with bone loss in adults.
Guarana
Stacker also includes guarana, another, possibly harmful, stimulant. Guarana contains high concentrations of caffeine. According to Drugs.com, potentially fatal irregular heartbeats have been reported to occur when guarana has mixed with ephedrine in diet supplements. What makes this stimulant potentially more harmful is that it has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness or purity, meaning there are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for this product, and all the potential risks and side effects are not yet known.
White Willow Bark
White willow bark acts much like aspirin in the Stacker diet pills. This herb includes the chemical salicin which helps reduce inflammation and has been show to have antioxidant, antiseptic and immune-boosting properties. White willow bark is known to have mild side effects, but in rare cases it can lead to stomach upset, ulcers and stomach bleeding. Large doses of this supplement can also cause skin rashes, stomach inflammation, nausea, vomiting, kidney inflammation and ringing in the ears. It cal also interfere with other drugs and herbs.
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