Ephedrine (Mahuang a.k.a. Ephedra), Caffeine, and Aspirin
(The use of alkaloid based thermogenics at label recommended dosages is potentially safe if you are not a fool.
And it is safest of all, if as an athlete you have a personal specialist doctor with a degree in Sportsmedicine who understands your need to be the best physical specimen that your genetics will allow!
Use him or her on a regular basis to monitor your health and blood lipid (fat) metabolism !
However currently in 2004 sales of ephedra containing products have been banned in the United States.
Which was an extremely stupid over reaction by the FDA, based on poor flawed research evidence (limited non definitive mortality total cause and effect case metabolic studies and issues) . . . abuses by athletes and (non medically supervised) obese and neurotic undisciplined ignorant weight loss fanatics in conjunction with other pharmaceuticals, imbalanced dieting procedures, and (causing) dehydration side effects and it's effects on internal organ integrity.
The following discussion is based on the pre
2004 ban.
At present a pharmaceutical version of the ephedra alkaloid is available labelled as a bronchial dialator and termed ephedrine hydochloride. This is a very powerful stimulant with strong emotional and central nervous system side effects when dosages are abused as part of the fat burning stack.)
UPDATE 2005-06:
" On April 14, a federal Judge in Utah reversed the short-lived ban on Ephedra. Also known by its Chinese name "Ma-huang",
"Ephedra STIMULATES stored bodyfat (white adipose tissue 'termed lipids' contents release). This biofuel burning enables higher energy levels during safe balanced dieting procedures...which can slow the metabolic processes physically and emotionally. As a consequence ephedra inter-metabolically (potentially can) reduces girth areas where bodyfat is stored on the outer human framework.
"The Ma-Huang supplement is now back on the market.
"It's been used safely worldwide for over 2,000 years. Millions of men and women have declared it the world's most effective fat burner.
"In 1993, it became popular in the U.S. too. Overweight people were losing 5-8 pounds per week, without dieting, and that was unheard of at the time. Many common diet pills were not being used as much.
"Ephedra products were the most effective for many that were having problems loosing weight, even though there were many other so called fatburners on the market.
"But this unparalleled weight loss concerned some people. Ephedra was so powerful, its safety was questioned. When the controversy peaked in 2004, ephedra was taken off the shelves for further testing. Since then, it's gone through rigorous tests – and passed with flying colors. "According to April's ruling in Utah, there was never any basis for banning doses of 10 milligrams or less. As a result, ephedra has once again been approved for public consumption. "
Report by
DENIE
e-mail: Deniew@live.com
"A small muscular waistline in reality (meaning if you have one)...has been the erotic lathe of the mythical hero and heroine throughtout visual romanticized history."
. . . Denie
Gender physical realization, hormonal drives, and the dictates of caloric food composition bring with them a unique distribution of bodyfat and adipocites.
Men genetically are predisposed to store dominant fat deposits around their waistline, while women naturally store more fat in their hips and thighs.
A popular exercise myth in pseudo fitness is the belief in localized fat loss through exercising specific underlying musculature structures related to the fat stored around them.
However physiologically, semi-impermeable tissue 'sheaths' of connecting tissue surrounds muscle fibers, bundles of muscle fibers, and extensively entire muscle groups, isolating these muscular content regions from fat and other tissues outside the muscle structures in extramuscular and subcutaneous regions.
These incasing sheaths inhibit or stop, fat storing adipose tissue from dumping their energy elements directly into underlying stimulated muscles. And, neither can anything move from the underlying muscles into the fat tissue adipocites positioned in the localized extramuscular and/subcutaneous regions across these muscular incasing cover sheaths.
Bodyfat ( adipose) burning or releasing using nutriceuticals are also used for Bodybuilding and is a nutritional sub-science known as 'Thermogenics'.
Because their application dosages cause you to lose (release) fat for energy by raising your metabolism rate up to 3-5% on an aerobic level...they preserve muscle tissue protein stores and composition density ... can suppress appetite ... elevate mood ... and improve performance both mental and physical performance!
Defining a Thermogenic simple and basic ingredients stack: A combination of ephedra, herbal caffeine, and white willow bark. Each balanced dosage contains the following ingredients: Ephedra - 334 mg. (standardized for 8% ephedrine), Kola Nut powdered extract - 400 mg. (standardized for 50% caffeine or 200 mgs of xanithine alkaloid the technical name for caffeine), and White Willow Bark extract - 75 mg.
On the membrane or entry point cell surfaces of the body ( in our reference points here the most important tissues are muscle and fat cells) are membrane entry portal "b" receptors.
Ephedra containing the alkaloid ephedrine a beta receptor stimulant, has 40% of its stimulation on the beta-3 sites. Beta-3 receptors are vital in promoting weight loss.
Ephedra also additionally stimulates beta-1 and beta-2 receptors (stimulation of beta-2 also increases in blood pressure which can be dangerous to severely unfit individuals), and is related to increased heart rate.
"b" receptors bind b-agonists (adrenaline and noradrenaline neurotransmitters). When a ß-agonist is bound to a "b" receptor, the receptor initiates a series of chemical reactions that results in the production of a chemical messenger called C-AMP inside the cell membrane. Alkaloids used as fat burner acitivators may also stimlate the nerve endings as well to release noradrenalin at the receptor sites involved whether they're muscle or adiposites (fat cells).
Michael C. Prevost Ph.D. explains this process in his study..."The Role of Ephedrine, Caffeine, and Aspirin Muscle Growth and Fat Loss by Stimulating the ß-Agonist System":
"This C-AMP then activates enzymes that phosphorylate proteins. Why is this important? Well, many of these proteins are enzymes and phosphorylation activates some enzymes and de-acitvates others.
"In fat cells enzymes are activated that induce lipolysis (fat breakdown). In muscle cells enzymes are activated that increase metabolism and cause a host of other important reactions which control muscle growth, fiber type and enzyme concentration.
So, how do ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin fit into this pathway? Ephedrine enhances ß-agonist production and even acts as a ß-agonist itself.
" Caffeine inhibits the breakdown of C-AMP.
"Aspirin ( Author's note: more effective than the herbal form White Willow Bark) inhibits the negative feedback loop that would reduce ß-agonist production. So taken together these agents enhance three to four different steps in the ß-agonist pathway.
"Ephedrine's role as a lipolytic agent (one that breaks down body fat to be used as energy) has been known for some time. It has been shown that ephedrine when taken in therapeutic doses is mildly effective in the management of obesity. The problem was that the initial lipolytic effects of ephedrine were soon diminished as other steps in the pathway were reduced in a negative feedback cycle. In an effort to enhance these steps that were being downregulated due to negative feedback, scientists added caffeine and aspirin to the regime.
"The result was a very effective combination in the management of obesity (dosages given were 20mg ephedrine, 300mg caffeine, and 80mg aspirin (Author : up to 320 for true pharmakinetic interaction), roughly equivalent to one typical ephedrine tablet, a cup of coffee and one aspirin).
"In fact, not only did the results (lipolysis) not decrease over time as with most drugs, but they actually increased with time. The effects of the combination of ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin were categorized into desirable and undesirable effects. The desirable effects were lipolysis and protein sparing (subjects on the drug combination retained more muscle mass while dieting than the subjects on placebo)."
At present cutting edge products with sophisticated names like Thermadrene, Xenadrine, Hydroxycut, Xetalean, Metabolife, Thermadrol, Diet Fuel, Ripped Fuel, and synergistic compounded higher potency herbal ingredients or synthetics with the word EXTREME tacked on to the above named labels are flooding the Thermogenic user marketplace. Each is a metabolic stimulant in it's own special formulated capacity and synergy of intensifying and supporting thermo additional ingredients...and is effective.
"Thermogenic" fat burning pills have become the most used and abused weight loss craze in the history of the nutraceutical industry and entered the serious fitness arena in the early 1990's.
In the ending 1980's nutritional oriented scientists made two important discoveries relating to obese individuals and weight loss.
1) All types of obesity the underlying cause and limiting factors for weight reduction, were due to reduced sympathetic (neural system) activity and a poor thermogenic response (using bodyfat to create
heat caloric energy within the body specifically, and for physical energy locomotion in general).
2) They, using studies discovered the ECA Stack when compared to a multitude of obesity drugs, was the best effective way for obese individuals to correct this defect.
Study : Astrup A, Toubro S, Cannon S, Hein P, Madsen J "Thermogenic synergism between ephedrine and caffeine in healthy volunteers: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study" Metabolism 1991, Vol 40 (3), Pg 323-9
Dulloo, AG "Ephedrine, xanthines and prostaglandin-inhibitors: actions and interactions in the stimulation of thermogenesis." Int J Obes 1993 Feb, Vol 17 (Suppl 1), Pg S35-40
The original form was the mentioned simple stack product containing either synthetic or herbal (ephedra a.k.a. mahuang) based ephedrine and caffeine (both pure or herbally derived alkaloids and a form of apririn.
So the main herbal fat releasing ingredient Ephedra (ephedrine alkaloid) is the key to effective fatty acids or triglycerides release for fat weight loss. It does this by causing the release of adrenalin which activate 'special brown adipose sites or cell' to raise body temperature by using lipids released from white fat cell the main storage depot for excess calories.
Combined with the synergistic effects of Kola Nut (or
other caffeine sources in a therapeutic dosage) and White Willow bark (aspirin),
B 1 and 2 receptors tend to down regulate after a period of a couple of months, (this means that the heart rate and blood pressure will normalize). However, the beta-3 receptors do not appear to follow the same path. It has been suggested that fat burning even DOUBLES after a 2 month period of properly applied therapeutic dosing mentioned further on.
Author's additional opinion :
All this stuff is good but if you're not careful you can blow out (exhaust) your adrenal glands and thyroid metabolic control using modified or synthetcially pure ECA stacks and other intensifying thermogenic products noted further on.
So you must add the following to protect and support your adrenalin-dopaminergic precursor metabolism.
1000 mg- (standardized)Siberian Ginseng, 500 mgs-Vit C, 400 units of Vit E (mixed tocopherols) 3-4 Kelp tabs (Iodine for thyroid support), 500 mg Tyrosine, 50 mg B-6. Twinlabs Choline Cocktail is an excellent neurological support supplement! Plus 1 tablespoon of Flaxeed oil per 100 lbs of bodyweight to maintain proper levels of essential fatty acids which are important for development of 'high density lipoproteins transport systems' and cell membrane electromagnetic field systems health-especially of the neurological systems.
At night l-5 hydroxytryptohane 50-100
mgs. to protect you from serotonin neurotransmisson mental crash which happens to balance brain depletion of it, while stacking , which causes over release of noradrenaline to hype both your brain, brown adipose heat production and general fat release for extra energy.
Applications of use are never more than 4 days on (1-2 two days off), if not only two days on-and look for personality changes.
Make sure to emphasis extra calcium and potassium, Flaxseed oil and Vit E, This stack goes after your heart. Stimulating it the way exercise does, but without the same kinesiological expression (of exercise) benefits during the early stages or weeks using ECA".
So protect your heart, thryoid, and endocrine system with supports. And do lots more personal research. Keep daily records on your attitudes and feelings.
Know what you are doing and why!
Additionally the stack is good for pain control, is strongly anti-inflamatory and will pull you into an alkaline blood condition in short it has immunizing tendencies but abused can lower resistance, cause extreme anxiety as a sign of over use.
"This stack" means ephedrine/caffeine/aspirin.
Finally, the alkaloids in question cause the body to dump hydrogen (fat or/and water).
This causes dehydration (a form of weight loss, not necessarily a healthy one unless
your tissues are waterlogged).
Therefore, when stacking (ECA) an extra quart of water should be taken in during the day to flush out the waste residues and acids that are a result of fat burning.
Important reading on this subject
both technical and easy with research back up: "FAT MANAGEMENT! The Thermogenic Factor...THERMOGENESIS by Daniel B.
Mowrey, Ph.D. Published by Victory
Publications, Lehi-Utah. 359 pages
and available in large health food
stores which stock books/or many of
bigger chain book stores.
For a more indepth analysis
quoting Mowrey himself go here: (http://community.webtv.net/Ironco/ECAPart2) than back button to finish reading this section.
THE (ECA) STACK HAS 3 IMPORTANT PURPOSES:
1. Fat burning (technically: causing the auto releasing fatty acids for use as energy).
2. Potential Athletic performance enhancement in conditioning training. (Not a good idea because it's too easy to get use to and need). The stack in fact is training without movement.
Because the same biochemical mechanisms are involved aerobically. Don't look for an opening there...Muscle building, cardiovascular efficiency, bone and connective tissue strength,
neuro-coordination, and proper immune
system function always require movement in our genetic 'earth bound magnetic fields' game plan.
But applying these products to training can cause
a 5-10 % efficiency rise in athletic and strength
performance...according to studies dealing with
them and the energies they liberate and make available as a substrate force...both physically and mentally.
3.Recreation. (Not a good idea because you talk more, feel more, s---w (sex) more, while being biomechicall forced to move more by internally induced pressures, and later depress out when you crash if you don't replace the support nutrients already mentioned.
The addition of a recommended dosage of
Yohimbine ( from Yohimbe herb) another alkaloid, in its nutraceutical form, Is regarded by some people as a potency enhancer increasing libido in most users.
In its pharmaceutical form - under trade names it's prescribed throughout the United States as a treatment for erectile dysfunction and was popular and effective
in the pre-Viagra years.
A synergistic dose of caffeine and ephedrine alkaloids, dramatically increases the production and circulation of the adrenergic hormones.
These hormones, commonly known as adrenaline and noradrenaline, are essential to human survival.
They're generally released at times of perceived danger or stress if no exhausted from the system,
They bind to various receptors (designated as A1, A2, B1, B2, and B3) throughout your nervous and muscle tissue, where they mobilize your natural defense energy or energy source release mechanisms.
The most interesting defense mechanisms are controlled by your B2 and B3 receptors. Once "switched on" (or agonized), focus and vigilance are increased while appetite and fatigue are decreased. And lipolysis (release of body fat as fuel along with a sense of satisfaction) is enhanced while lipogenesis (storage of fuel as body fat along with a sense of hunger) is crippled.
That means you'll be much less likely to cannibalize muscle tissue for energy, even when your body is under extreme stress.
You may know that A2 receptors also effect body composition. Tissues with a high affinity for A2 prefer to use amino acids (muscle) for energy instead of adipose tissue (fat).
On men, the highest concentration of A2 is the area around the abs ... AKA the love handles. In women, the highest concentration is on the hips, thighs, and buttocks. That's why fat collects so easily at A2-dominated areas
- and why it simply doesn't go away - unless those receptors are blocked.
That's where yohimbine alkaloids come in, forcefully "switching off" (or antagonizing) A2s, encouraging fat in those areas to melt away.
I have used a version of this stack (and more) since 1994 at it's most abusive potencies to view the physical parameters. And at it's safe (ECA) dosages 20/200/325.
WHO is safe to use the ECA stack ?
1. You must be able to tolerate aspirin. People who are allergic to aspirin, are taking certain anticoagulant drugs, suffer from bleeding disorders have wet macular degeneration, or have ulcers or chronic gastritis may not be able to take any aspirin. Beta carotene, taken with aspirin has been shown to eliminate gastric inflammation caused by aspirin.
2. Once it's been determined that you can tolerate aspirin, you need to ascertain if you can tolerate ephedrine-caffeine.
3. Consult your physician if you are taking asthma medications, appetite suppressing drugs, antidepressants, or cardiovascular medications.
You should not take this combination (ECA) if you have cardiovascular disease (especially cardiac arrhythmias), diabetes, prostatic hypertrophy (enlarged
prostate gland), glaucoma, psychosis, or thyroid disease. You shouldn't use this combination within 14 days after taking classical MAO inhibiting drugs (deprenyl is not a classical MAO inhibitor).
4. If you have high blood pressure, or are a non-insulin dependent diabetic because of too much bodyfat, you may want to work with your doctor or experienced professional to adjust your medication so that you can use thermogenic enhancers to lose enough weight so that you are no longer hypertensive and/or diabetic. Pregnant and lactating women should avoid this combination absolutely.
The philosophical performance overview:
"Running your mind and body 'hot' can be a very
interesting way to experience a productive and constructive life ."
IRONCO WORLD (back)
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