Herbal Ephedra Diet Pills

Ephedra sinica is a shrub that grows in the deserts of Asia, Europe and Africa. The Chinese have long used the woody stems of ephedra sinica for medicinal uses, such as the treatment of upper respiratory problems. Herbal ephedra diet pills contain the same ingredient and were popular in the U.S. until the Food and Drug Administration banned their sale in 2004.

Intended Benefits

Ephedrine and related alkaloids are the active ingredients found in herbal ephedra diet pills. According to the Harvard Medical School, ephedrine acts in your body in a similar way to adrenaline, raising your blood pressure and providing a feeling of stimulation. Herbal ephedra also indirectly contributes to the release of endogenous norepinephrine.

Side Effects

Though effective at stimulating your central nervous system and suppressing appetite when used along with caffeine, herbal ephedra diet pills produce a substantial number of side effects. Mild side effects for the supplement include headaches, tremors, nervousness and insomnia. Serious side effects from ephedra use can occur, including heart rate irregularities, psychoses, seizures, heart attack, stroke and death.

FDA Intervention

The FDA had warned consumers about the use of ephedra dietary supplements since 1997, stating that some impure products posed a significant health risk to the public. In December 2003, the organization warned manufacturers that ephedra-containing products would come under a ban, but this ban was not fully implemented until April 2004. Some companies resisted the ban and continued to manufacture herbal ephedra diet pills, but the FDA eventually succeeded in removing the supplements from the market.

Ephedra Replacements

You can no longer find herbal ephedra diet pills, but other herbal supplements quickly took their place in the dietary supplement market after the FDA ban. In 2005, "The New York Times" published an article about the herbal supplement bitter orange. Manufacturers often combine bitter orange with large amounts of caffeine to produce ephedra-like effects while circumventing the FDA's ban on ephedra supplements. Speak to your physician before taking any type of dietary supplement.