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Does Ripped Fuel Cause Tension Headaches?

Jul 13, 2011 | By Lisa Mercer
Does Ripped Fuel Cause Tension Headaches?
Photo Credit Polka Dot Images/Polka Dot/Getty Images

The Twinlab company manufactures Ripped Fuel, an energy enhancer and weight loss supplement containing high doses of caffeine. While it no longer contains ephedra, a substance banned by the Food and Drug Administration because of its fatal side effects, the high caffeine component in Ripped Fuel may cause tension headaches in people with certain types of health conditions.

Contraindications

The label on Twinlab's Ripped Fuel describes the product as a formula that stimulates fat loss and preserves lean muscle mass, but advises that it may not be suitable for some people. Pregnant women, people with high blood pressure, heart problems and seizure disorders are among the people for whom Ripped Fuel may cause health problems. Anyone with a psychiatric or chronic anxiety disorder should also avoid this weight loss supplement. The manufacturers warn consumers to discontinue use if they experience headaches, dizziness or insomnia.

Caffeine: The Possible Culprit

The caffeine content of Ripped Fuel may be one of the possible causes of tension headaches. The Ripped Fuel formula contains 220 mg. of caffeine, plus extracts of cocoa and green tea, which are also high in caffeine. This is the equivalent of consuming three cups of coffee simultaneously. If you are sensitive to caffeine-related headaches, this may be too much. Excess caffeine may also cause dehydration and gastrointestinal problems, which have an indirect relationship to headaches, but some people are less susceptible to caffeine-related illness than others.

Stacking

Scientists at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that people who consume high amounts of caffeine each day are more susceptible to occasional headaches than those with low caffeine consumption. The "Journal of Headache Pain" published the study in 2004. Some aerobics and bodybuilding enthusiasts try to intensify ephedra-free supplements such as Ripped Fuel by using a process called "stacking." Stacking involves taking Ripped Fuel along with a cup of coffee and two aspirins. Since both the aspirin and the coffee have caffeine, the stacking process may constitute a headache-inducing caffeine overdose.

Synephrine

The ephedra-free version of Ripped Fuel contains synephrine, an ingredient found in the the Neo-Synephrine nasal spray. Fitness researcher and educator Phil Kaplan warns that frequent synephrine use is associated with increased anxiety and headaches. Researchers at the Division of Clinical Pharmacology at the University of California reported that study participants taking Ripped Fuel Extreme Cut -- containing 21 mg of synephrine and 304 mg of caffeine -- showed increased post-exercise diastolic blood pressure, Elevated blood pressure may cause tension headaches in people who already have high blood pressure. The "British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology" published the study in 2008.

References

Article reviewed by GlennK Last updated on: Jul 13, 2011

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