If you have ever tried to lose weight, or if you have ever spoken about weight loss with a body builder, you have most likely heard of an ephedra stack. Ephedra is the source of ephedrine, a very powerful stimulant found in the Ma huang plant and in the heartleaf plant known as Sida cordifolia. The “stack” in an ephedra stack most often consists of some caffeine and a dose of aspirin.

Caffeine is known to most as an effective stimulant found in coffee, tea, chocolate and many soft drinks. If you see a weight loss product that says it increases energy and increased fat loss, there is a very good chance it’s got caffeine in it. When caffeine is stacked with ephedra, it boosts the effects of the ephedrine and causes a thermogenic effect thus speeding up the metabolism and assisting with fat burning and weight loss.

Aspirin is another ingredient usually included in the ephedra stack, although it is optional. Aspirin is ordinarily used to offset the affects of the caffeine and ephedrine. Also, there has been some indication that aspirin reduces the loss of ephedrine through urinary secretion allowing it to stay in the blood for a longer period and prolonging its effects. Once again, this is optional. Recently, several products are removing the aspirin from their formulas.

The ECA Stack (ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin) has many effects on your body. By stimulating the nervous system through an increase in neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, a stress response is triggered. This response raises the heart rate and blood pressure, expands airways and boosts the resting metabolic rate. It may increase energy and alertness and reduce feelings of fatigue. Also, this ephedra stack will suppress your appetite. This has both pro’s and con’s. On the up side, eating less often reduces overall weight. However, if you are maintaining a workout schedule, it is vitally important to eat several small meals per day. If your body does not receive proper nutrition, it cannot heal itself after a hard training session. Make sure that you are eating 5 or 6 small meals per day. Even if you don’t feel like it, adequate nutrition can make or break your weight loss regimen. Also, feeding your body several times a day helps keep up your metabolic rate. If you don’t eat your metabolism slows down. After a couple of weeks, you will cancel out the use of the ephedra stack by countering its effects on your metabolism.

There are risks to the ephedra stack that must be considered before adding it to your weight loss plan.

· Ephedrine will speed up your heart rate and when taken with caffeine, can have serious ramifications for individuals with a heart condition and high blood pressure.

· If you do not keep up a proper regimen of diet and exercise, ephedrine will not only burn fat, it will also burn muscle. As mentioned above, maintaining proper nutrition and an exercise routine will only add to the weight loss functions of the ephedra stack.

· Some people have experienced insomnia, nervousness, headaches, seizures , heart attacks, strokes and in a few rare cases, death from the use of ephedrine. It is important to follow the dosing instructions listed on the products you take and follow your doctor’s advice on taking an ephedra stack.

· Avoid the ephedra stack in you have heart disease, thyroid disease, depression, difficulty urinating, enlarged prostate or a seizure disorder. Also avoid use if you take an MAOI or any over the counter product containing ephedrine.

· Various athletic associations have banned the use of ephedra products including the NCAA. Athletes should be cognizant of their particular sports association rules to avoid disqualification from events.

· Because caffeine is a diuretic, it is important to get adequate water to avoid dehydration. Shoot for at 1 ½ ounces per lean body weight.

The ephedra stack can work to help you lose weight. In fact, for the first two weeks or so, you may think you have discovered a magic formula that melts fat away with minimal effort from you. Do not kid yourself. To achieve any consistent weight loss and help keep your weight under control, you must also diet and exercise. Make sure you know your tolerance to ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin before you take an ephedra stack because people respond differently to these products.

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