Ephedra extract and ephedrine. Ephedrine: its effect on the body and potential danger

In pursuit of beautiful body many people who are losing weight are so excited that any means become good. A person is not stopped by any health risk or criminal liability. These miraculous drugs include ephedrine, which has long been considered the best fat burner.

The history of ephedrine

Ephedra equisetina- horsetail ephedra, a very common shrub of the Khvoinikov family. A mountain plant that can be found in the Caucasus, the Tien Shan, the mountains of Western Siberia. Ephedra juice has been used by healers since ancient times to treat allergic reactions, low blood pressure, and colds. However, if the dose was exceeded, the treatment could cause a massive heart attack, cerebral hemorrhage, and even ended lethal outcome. It was necessary to use the juice of a coniferous plant carefully and strictly dosed.

Over time, pharmacists learned how to process the plant substance, studied its composition and launched the production of a synthetic alkaloid ephedrine in the form of a white bitter powder.

The effect of ephedrine on the body

In medical terms, the drug ephedrine is a sympathomimetic, that is, a substance that acts on the sympathetic nervous system. The nerve nodes of the sympathetic system are located outside the organs and are activated during stress reactions. It is precisely thanks to the sympathetic nerves that a person is able to develop tremendous running speed, escaping from criminals or dousing with ice water while standing in the snow. bare feet. The body's defenses are mobilized, sometimes there is an adrenaline rush and a person defends himself from stress using internal energy reserves.

To achieve such a state is intentionally quite difficult, and here ephedrine comes to the rescue, which stimulates receptors and artificially causes high energy costs. Blood pressure rises, heart rate increases, blood glucose levels increase, skeletal muscle tone increases, and, as you know, all these processes require a large amount of energy, which is measured in kilocalories in the body. That is, summarizing the above, we come to the conclusion that taking ephedrine makes you burn more calories.

Application in medicine

Low pressure. Doctors use the beneficial properties of ephedrine in the treatment of a wide range of diseases. The property of the drug to increase blood pressure has made it a faithful assistant in the treatment of shock, coma, in cases of large blood loss, shock from burns or hypotension. Ephedrine acts on the vessels, narrowing their walls, which leads to an increase in pressure.

Allergy, hives. The cause of allergic reactions in the form of itching, redness, runny nose and lacrimation is histamine, which is released in the body when an allergen irritant appears. Ephedrine blocks the action of histamine, thereby eliminating the uncomfortable signs of allergies.

Runny nose, bronchial asthma. The vasoconstrictive effect of ephedrine helps in the fight against sinusitis and rhinitis. A stimulating effect on the nervous system allows you to cope even with attacks of bronchial asthma.

Sleeping pill poisoning, depression. The excitement that occurs in the body after taking ephedrine stimulates the body, improves mood, makes a person relaxed and sociable, which helps fight depression. Acting in opposition to sleeping pills, ephedrine reduces their effect and alleviates the condition in case of an overdose of hypnotic drugs.

ephedrine and weight loss

Observing patients taking ephedrine for a long time, doctors noticed a pattern: many patients lost a lot of weight, apparently due to a decrease in appetite. Such a reaction is quite predictable, because during stress and emotional upheavals we often lose our appetite, while an overly excited state of the body requires high energy costs. It turns out that the body spends more kilocalories than usual, but there is no feeling of hunger.

This property of ephedrine was immediately used for the production of fat burners - thermogenics. For a long time, ephedrine supplements have been at the top of the list of best fat burners.

ECA - the fat burner of all time

Through research, a new compound was obtained: ECA - a mixture of ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin. The combined properties of the sympathomimetic ephedrine and the central nervous system-acting caffeine produced an explosive mixture that increased fat loss by 1-3 kg per month. The mixture was especially effective in symbiosis with aerobic exercise and a low-carbohydrate diet. In the 90s of the last century, ECA was considered the best fat burner in the world.

Aspirin was intended to prolong the effect of ephedrine. And although it was later found that it does not provide significant improvements, and the mixture works fine even in its absence, aspirin was added to the fat burner for a long time.

ECA was especially popular among bodybuilders, because it not only accelerated fat burning, but also suppressed appetite. During pre-competitive drying, when an athlete limits himself in carbohydrates, cravings for sweets and bread are very high, so the additional property of EKi turned out to be very appropriate.

It was enough to observe certain proportions when mixing, not to exceed the dose, follow the intake schedule and the victory is in your pocket. Sports doctors developed individual dosages for their wards, prescribed the drug carefully, in accordance with the individual characteristics of the athletes, thereby achieving a high effectiveness of the drug.
It would seem that the problem of fat burning and weight loss is solved, the best drug found and you can safely lose weight with a 100% probability of success, but soon preparations containing ephedrine were banned in Russia, the USA and Canada.

ephedrine is a drug

It turned out that in parallel with athletes, drug addicts also took ephedrine, making well-known drugs from it: pervitin and screw. The brewed potion was quickly addictive, gave the addict the desired bliss, was very cheap and very accessible.

It was not difficult to get a narcotic substance from penny nasal drops, so the screw became a very popular drug among young people. Although they could not afford amphetamines and expensive heroin, they sold cold remedies in every pharmacy.

The body quickly gets used to the drug, requiring an increase in the dose. Intoxication does not last long, only about half an hour. As a result, a person very quickly loses his mind and becomes feeble-minded. The only thing that interests the body is a new dose, more than the previous one. The end of the addict is predictable: overdose and death.

Gradually, all drugs with ephedrine were withdrawn from free sale, because drug addicts managed to extract the drug even from a vasoconstrictor ointment for the nose.

In addition to drug addicts, athletes have overdosed on fat burners without following doctors' orders, which has led to fatal accidents. In connection with the above events, ephedrine was banned for use as a precursor - a substance that is a raw material for the preparation of a narcotic drug. In addition, the International Olympic Committee recognized ephedrine as a doping that increases endurance and helps to achieve high sports results in a dishonest way.

Replacement for ephedrine

The effectiveness of ephedrine was so high that pharmacists could not stop using it. Therefore, we decided to dig a little deeper and invented new fat burners based on natural, not synthetic components: ephedra herbs, guarana - a source of caffeine and willow bark, which replaced aspirin. In fact, ECA has remained the same, only increased in price and moved to a legal position, becoming a natural food supplement with restrictions on use.

It was strictly forbidden take a fat burner for smokers; during pregnancy and lactation; people with thyroid problems; prone to hypertensive fluctuations blood pressure. In no case should you use a fat burner at the same time as alcohol. All of these options are very dangerous and can be fatal.

Undoubtedly important is the fact that ephedrine is just a supplement that will not work without intensive training and following a sports diet. Remember, losing weight while lying on the couch does not happen!

Important! On January 1, 2013, amendments to Art. 228 came into force. of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, according to which not only the sale, but also storage, transportation of precursors, as well as plants and various parts containing narcotic drugs, which include ephedra and fat burners based on it, are punishable by a fine of 200 to 500 thousand rubles, or imprisonment for up to 2 years. The amount of the fine and the term of imprisonment are set depending on the amount of the detected drug. In the case of establishing the fact of sale of the drug, the terms of imprisonment are significantly increased, up to life.

What to do, who will help to lose weight?

Of course, the first step is to look at healthy ways to reduce body fat, such as proper nutrition Well-designed workouts vitamin complexes. It works on its own and certainly without health risks.

Those who want to speed up the moment of meeting with the dream body should not despair. Sports nutrition companies immediately jumped into action and began to look for other ways to achieve a fat burning effect in a legal way. Modern drugs made without the use of ephedrine, they are very effective and safe.

Be healthy!

In Russia, this drug is quite popular. And the reasons for this are simple - low cost, and besides, it is quite easy to get it.

Ephedrine

Like many other drugs, initially ephedrine hydrochloride used exclusively in medicine. First of all, it was prescribed to people who are often in a state of depression, constant fatigue, as well as to increase pressure, whooping cough, urticaria and many other diseases. Of course, this does not use the substance ephedrine itself, but many drugs in which it is included. For example, ephedrine contains ointment "Sunoref", "Solutan" and some others. However, as practice shows, getting the coveted drug from these drugs is quite simple - this can be done even at home, without using special tools or materials.

Ephedrine hydrochloride

However, like many prescription drugs, ephedrine hydrochloride began to be used by drug addicts. There is nothing difficult in this - you just need to get a pure substance by boiling and evaporating it from drugs using special methods, and in addition - to increase the portion of the drug taken. That's why buy ephedrine in most major cities, it is quite simple - drug dealers produce it directly from ordinary drugs sold in pharmacies. If the composition of drugs taken at a time contains only 50 milligrams of the drug, then drug addicts take 500-600 milligrams at a time to feel the effect. Of course, the intake of potent alkaloids in such portions adversely affects the human nervous system. Even for people who take medicines containing ephedrine, one can often observe side effects ephedrine– from headaches, dry mouth and insomnia to heartburn, vomiting, cramps and numbness of the extremities.

The action of ephedrine

As mentioned above, ephedrine is one of the components of various drugs. And its reception should be started only with the recommendation of a doctor. However, it is often taken by people who want to lose weight. excess weight. Well, this drug is often the cause of loss of appetite and faster fat burning. Alas, for such a “gift” one has to pay a truly terrible price. Yes, the mood really improves - there is a desire to take off, friendliness to everyone around increases, you want to talk to anyone, even the first person you meet, you don’t feel how much time has passed since taking the drug.
But when the effect of the drug ends, everything only gets worse - fatigue and depression pile up. The addict does not want to see anyone. He just lies motionless where he was caught end of ephedrine effect. The most terrible apathy is accompanied by suicidal thoughts. Depressive thoughts indeed often end in the addict's suicide. If there are no such inclinations, then he simply cannot return to his original state for several days. For some time he remains apathetic, at times he can become aggressive, and aggression is practically uncontrollable. At this time, he really becomes dangerous to the people around him. But even after all this, it cannot be said that the person managed to recover, and ephedrine no longer has power over him. Psychological dependence most likely will not let him go for many more months. And all this time he remains in the high-risk zone.

drug ephedrine

It is unknown when ephedrine was first used as a drug. But still today he is widely known in certain circles. Many drug addicts, having tried ephedrine, later switch to more terrible drugs - heroin, cocaine and amphetamine. After that, it can be stated with certainty that a person will no longer be able to return to a normal society. That's why ephedrine in many ways dangerous precisely because it is the first step into a bottomless abyss. It is taken in various ways - both intravenously and by simple swallowing. In the first case, the effect appears much faster and lasts longer. However, in this case, one or two tricks are enough for a person to turn into a drug addict (see photos of people before and after taking the drug).
Addiction to ephedrine manifests itself quite quickly - two or three doses are enough. After that, the withdrawal of the drug is accompanied by a terrible depression. The addict does not want to do anything, he cannot think anything. Attempts to "awaken" him from such a state can cause aggression on his part.

Long-term use of even legal substances, which include ephedrine, is addictive. A person who takes such medications for several months often simply cannot refuse it later. What to say about the harm of ephedrine! At the first receptions, a person feels inspiration, friendliness and a desire to demonstrate it in every possible way. Later, the effect is significantly reduced, as is the duration of action. That is why drug addicts have to increase portions of the injected substance and reduce the time interval between doses. If after the first dose the effect lasts 6-8 hours, then later it is reduced to 2-4 hours. To regain a "good" mood, the addict takes ephedrine up to 8-10 times a day. Thus, he consumes up to 6 grams of the drug per day. This is a really terrible blow to the human nervous system. Insomnia, loss of appetite and constant depression (when a person is not under the influence of a drug) become constant companions of a drug addict. But usually there are much more terrible consequences - hallucinations, the occurrence of mental disorders, heart failure, vomiting, rashes, and much more.

No matter how hard you train, how you eat, and what supplements you take, losing weight is almost always a difficult task. The "drier" you get, the more you have to deal with hunger, the harder you train and the less you have to eat to burn fat further. This is why many people start using stimulant drugs like ephedrine. If you've been working out for a while in the gym, you've probably heard that this substance has downright magical properties in terms of fat burning.

Ephedrine suppresses appetite and also significantly increases the rate of metabolism and fat burning. This means that you will lose weight faster and it will be easier for you to stick to a rigid diet.

Manufacturers claim that ephedrine is as safe as caffeine. Moreover, the longer you take it, the higher its effectiveness (unlike the most popular stimulant in the world). But if you search the internet for reviews, you will find reviews from many users who claim that ephedrine is a very mediocre drug that is not so safe. Some people say that this substance can even increase the risk of anxiety, heart attack and stroke.

Whom to believe? How effective is ephedrine? How serious is itside effects and harm for health? And if it's safe how should it be taken ? The answers to these and many other questions can be found in our article onaction and use of ephedrine.Let's start with the definition of this drug.

Ephedrine - what is this and how does it work?

Ephedrine is a stimulant that increases the metabolic rate and therefore fat loss. In other words, it increases your body's energy expenditure, most of which comes from fat.

Ephedrine is obtained from the bush plant of the Chinese conifer (lat. Ephedra sinica), which grows in China. Due to the Latin name of the plant, the substance is sometimes called "ephedra".

Ephedra sinica makes breathing easier by relaxing the muscles around respiratory tract, therefore, in traditional Chinese medicine, it has long been used to treat various diseases such as colds, coughs and flu. In the West, ephedrine is sometimes included in the composition of anti-asthma drugs.

Ephedrine works by binding to receptors on cells that respond to chemicals called catecholamines such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine.

When any of these molecules attach to cells, it activates the fight-or-flight response, which leads to an increase in heart rate, a decrease in hunger, and an increase in fat and glycogen burning.

Ephedrine also helps reduce body fat that is more resistant to mobilization than others (so-called "stubborn" or hard-to-remove fat) by increasing the activity of beta receptors, which causes the release of energy stored in fat cells.

Why take ephedrine?

Athletes use ephedrine for two key reasons:

1. It increases metabolic rate and fat burning.

2. It suppresses appetite.

There is also evidence that the substance can increase muscle strength, endurance and power, and also helps maintain muscle mass during the diet. 1 It should be noted that the mechanism of the latter effects is still not entirely clear, and in general they have not been particularly studied.

Ephedrine may have muscle-preserving properties on its own, or this effect may simply be a by-product of its potential performance-enhancing properties (if you maintain a high training intensity while dieting, you're less likely to lose muscle). In any case, it is known that people who take ephedrine "drying" usually retain more muscle than those who do not.

Unlike many fat burners on the market, ephedrine is clear: it can definitely help you lose fat faster and therefore weight.

Studies have shown that the substance significantly increases fat burning, and also works synergistically with caffeine, which can also accelerate weight loss. In other words, when you combine these drugs, they help you lose fat faster than if you took them alone.

Scientists have found that the combination of ephedrine and caffeine can increase metabolism by 5%, resulting in an additional loss of approximately 150 grams of fat per week in the average person.

Of course, this does not fundamentally change the situation, but these energy costs are approximately equivalent to about 30 minutes of intensive walking per day. Not bad for a small tablet, right?

Ephedrine also has a unique property - its effect increases over time. 2

Unlike caffeine, which gradually loses its fat-burning potential (the body gets used to it), the effects of ephedrine are enhanced with continued use because it appears to sensitize the body to catecholamines.

This is especially useful when cutting down because the longer you are on a reduced calorie diet, the less energy your body uses at rest and during training. This is partly why people "inexplicably" stop losing weight after some time on the diet. The drug helps to overcome the plateau by affecting the basal metabolic rate (the amount of energy expended by the body at rest).

Ephedrine has another important effect on the body - it suppresses appetite. 3

Many people who use ephedrine for the first time do not feel hungry when eating only a few hundred calories per day (note that eating so little is not recommended). This effect fades over time, but remains quite noticeable.

Read also:

Is ephedrine safe?

Like any other stimulant, ephedrine is not without side effects, such as:

Increased heart rate and increased blood pressure;

Nausea;

Insomnia;

Dizziness;

Nervous excitement;

Tremor (shaking) of the hands. 4

While these side effects may seem rather ominous, they are shared to varying degrees with other stimulants such as caffeine and yohimbine. Side effects usually subside/disappear after the first week of taking the drug. 5

Why then is ephedrine often referred to as "dangerous" and put on a par with more serious drugs such as clenbuterol and 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP)? There are several reasons for this.

1. Taking ephedrine is associated with some risks.

They may not be very serious, but in fact, the use of any drug (especially potent) is associated with certain risks. Some people simply do not tolerate ephedrine well and experience serious side effects. Therefore, since 2004, the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) has registered more than 18,000 complaints from people using ephedrine.

However, most cases are associated with certain medical conditions, high dosages and/or combinations of ephedrine with alcohol, pharmaceuticals (cold medicines) or drugs such as ecstasy.

2. Ephedrine has a bad reputation, unlike other stimulants.

After several people died after taking ephedrine, including 23-year-old baseball player Steve Behler, the FDA banned the substance from any supplements in 2004.

This has led to unfounded concerns about the safety of ephedrine. Deaths after caffeine overdose have not received such a resonance. 6 Millions of people abuse caffeine every day, without fear for their health and considering ephedrine "bad" mainly because it is found in some anti-asthma drugs and is less commonly used. What does science say about this?

Studies show that when used correctly, ephedrine is generally safe and does not cause serious side effects. 7

However, it is contraindicated if you have certain medical conditions (particularly heart conditions). High doses of ephedrine and/or its combination with alcohol, large amounts of caffeine or drugs can be dangerous and even fatal.

It should also be noted that most studies on ephedrine have only lasted a few weeks/months. Therefore, it is not known how the body will react when using the drug for a longer time. However, "drying" usually does not take more than 2– 3 months. Interruptions in the use of ephedrine can minimize the likelihood of any complications.

How accept? Effective dose

The most common regimen for ephedrine for weight loss is three servings of 20-25 mg per day (morning, noon and early afternoon).

The standard ephedrine + caffeine combination includes the three servings of ephedrine listed above plus 200mg of caffeine (or a little less if you've been taking caffeine for a long time).

Some people also add aspirin to the bundle (an "ECA" combination). Scientists have long discovered that aspirin can increase fat burning in obese people, but this effect does not seem to be seen in more or less lean people. 8

In addition, there are some risks with long-term use of significant amounts of aspirin, so we do not recommend taking this drug.

How take ephedrine?

Most stimulants become less effective over time as our body gets used to them. As a result, to get the same effect, you need to increase the dosage.

Clenbuterol, for example, loses its effectiveness after 4-6 weeks of use. 9 That's why you need to take breaks from stimulants. The body will restore sensitivity to them, and the drugs will again be effective in improving fat burning.

Ephedrine, as we remember, becomes more effective over time, so cycling is not necessary here.

However, you cannot be sure that there will be no long-term side effects. So if you want to be as safe as possible, take a break every 4-6 months. If you are taking the drug in combination with caffeine, take a break from it as well to restore the sensitivity of the body.

Is ephedrine legal?

in Russia ephedrine hydrochlorideclassified as a potent substance. Therefore, it should not be included in sports nutrition (although you can find many supplements with this substance on the market).

Ephedrine is also banned by most sports organizations, the International Olympic Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency because it can affect performance in sports.

What can replace ephedrine?

A good option to replace ephedrine is synephrine. It is a natural compound derived from the fruit of the orange fruit. Chemically, synephrine is similar to ephedrine, so it has a similar effect on the body.

Studies show that 50mg of synephrine can increase your basal metabolic rate by about 65 calories in 75 minutes. Combined with two other natural substances– naringin and hesperidin– figure can reach 180 calories. 10

180 calories may not seem like much, but it is the equivalent of 20 minutes of jogging. You will get about 1300 kcal per week (this is about 150 g of fat).

Synephrine also:

• helps to eliminate "stubborn" fat faster by interfering with the cellular mechanism that slows down weight loss;
• increases the thermal effect of food (that is, increases the amount of energy needed to digest and assimilate food);
• may reduce appetite.

Another reason to replace ephedrine with synephrine is health safety.

Numerous experiments show that synephrine does not increase blood pressure or heart rate like ephedrine does. Therefore, it is considered one of the safest weight loss supplements. Thus, if you do not want to take strong stimulants, choose synephrine.

In order to achieve the desired results, athletes often resort to the help of sports nutrition and nutritional supplements that help increase endurance, increase strength and eliminate muscle pain. Some of them are aimed not only at simplifying and improving training, but also at reducing weight. There are sports nutrition supplements that help burn fat and blunt hunger, which can significantly reduce portion sizes and force the body to use fat stores as an energy source.

One such substance is ephedrine. It is known not only in the field of sports nutrition, but also in medicine, as it is part of drugs used for diseases. respiratory system such as hypotension and asthma. But today we will look at the properties and use of ephedrine in sports, as well as its effect on the body during physical exertion.

What is ephedrine

Ephedrine is a natural substance of plant origin, presented in the form of an alkaloid. It is one of the stimulants that are obtained as a result of the processing of plants of the genus Ephedra. For many years, this substance was used in Far Eastern medicine, until it was classified as a narcotic drug and drugs used for their production. This is due to the fact that ephedrine in certain quantities has the same effect on the central nervous system as methamphetamines and amphetamines. In this regard, it is not surprising that ephedrine belongs to the group of prohibited doping substances.

To date, ephedrine is obtained not only from natural plants, but also by chemical synthesis, due to which it completely loses all its medicinal properties and turns into a universal stimulant. Such ephedrine is often included in weight loss preparations, helping to reduce appetite and body weight, as well as increase the amount of energy consumed by a person during the day. Today, ephedrine is on the list of banned doping substances, so it is rarely used as a dietary supplement by professional athletes.

The action of ephedrine

As mentioned earlier, ephedrine is a stimulant, which is a sympathomimetic, the action of which is to activate nerve endings when they interact with adrenergic receptors. However, the action of ephedrine on the central nervous system is very limited, which requires a sufficiently large amount of this substance to obtain the desired results. Due to its properties, ephedrine is able to start the process of burning fats, using them as energy for physical activity, reduce appetite, giving an additional impetus to weight loss, accelerate metabolism and metabolic processes in the body, increase efficiency and endurance, thereby making training more productive.

In addition, ephedrine acts as a drug that speeds up the pulse and has a moderate diuretic effect, thanks to which the body is gradually cleansed naturally. To enhance the effect of ephedrine, it is often combined with aspirin and caffeine. Some sports fat burners are based on this principle, however, they are banned in many countries.

The benefits of ephedrine

Athletes receive the maximum benefit from ephedrine, since its effect on the body can increase the ability to exercise and significantly increase the effectiveness of classes. Thanks to this substance, you can achieve the desired results and goals in the shortest possible time.

After taking ephedrine, the amount of energy produced increases, and fats are also intensively burned, which is the basis of the "drying" that professional athletes often resort to before competitions, and especially bodybuilders. It induces protein synthesis in muscles, helping to increase their volume, eliminates unwanted fat deposits, giving the body relief, and relieves fatigue, making it possible to carry out workouts longer and more intensively.

In the medical field, ephedrine is used to treat bronchial asthma, sinusitis, rhinitis and bronchitis, it is part of some drugs that dilate the bronchi and make breathing easier, it is used for fever, chills and cough. But, do not forget that this drug is among the prohibited ones, therefore, tablets and syrups that include it in their composition are released only by prescription.

Harm of ephedrine

Despite a number useful properties ephedrine, it was not just banned for mass use. The fact is that this drug has a number of side effects that you should familiarize yourself with before you start taking ephedrine. The use of ephedrine to increase the efficiency of the body can lead to nausea, headaches, vomiting and dizziness. In addition, ephedrine has a negative effect on the state of the respiratory and of cardio-vascular system.

In some cases, diarrhea and urinary problems may be a side effect. As a result of prolonged use of ephedrine, cardiac arrhythmia, tachycardia, cardiovascular failure, arterial hypertension, insufficiency of the respiratory system, increased blood pressure, increased sweating, frequent dry mouth, trembling hands, insomnia, nervousness, overexcitation, discoloration of the skin and even hallucinations. It is also worth mentioning that ephedrine is able to increase the level and concentration of insulin in the blood. Most of these side effects appear after a few days of taking ephedrine.

Contraindications to the use of ephedrine

Ephedrine has not only side effects, which should be the reason for the careful use of this drug, but also a number of contraindications. It is not recommended to take ephedrine in combination with antidepressants, as they will enhance its effect on the body, which will lead to a rapid deterioration in health. The use of ephedrine and preparations containing it should be avoided by people with diseases of the cardiovascular system, high blood pressure, patients with glaucoma, prostate hypertrophy, as well as pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under 18 years of age. If you have any diseases and are taking medications, you should consult your doctor before you start using ephedrine in order to avoid undesirable consequences in the form of exacerbation of diseases and deterioration in health.

Makhnonosova Ekaterina
for women's magazine website

When using and reprinting the material, an active link to the women's online magazine is required

Almost everyone has heard of such a psychostimulant as ephedrine. A large number of drugs for weight loss, as well as syrups and cough tablets contain this substance. The alkaloid has been known since ancient times, but at present, many countries, including Russia, have banned its storage, equating it with the storage of drugs or the means used to manufacture them. In addition, this tool is included in the list of prohibited doping drugs. The effect of ephedrine on the body can be positive and negative.

Description

Ephedrine belongs to the group of stimulants, and it is a natural substance of plant origin. It is obtained from trees of the ephedra family growing in China and Western Siberia. Ephedrine can also be obtained through chemical synthesis. Chinese ethnoscience has been using ephedrine extract for the treatment of bronchial asthma for 5 thousand years, and in the Middle East it is used to treat pathologies accompanied by fever.

Many people seeking to lose weight actively use it to reduce body weight. But you should know that the substance has a different effect on the human body. The benefits and harms of ephedrine have been thoroughly studied, and the International Olympic Committee has banned it. You can buy the drug in pharmacies only on a special form, which is certified by the seal of the institution.

The action of ephedrine

This substance has a certain effect on the body. It affects adrenoreceptors, which leads to the release of hormones and neurotransmitters, due to which various metabolic and functional changes begin to occur in the body. Blood pressure rises sharply, blood circulation accelerates, heart contractions and respiratory rate increase, body temperature rises, blood glucose levels jump. And this is not all the processes that ephedrine stimulates.

The effect on the body of the substance is such that as a result, metabolism is enhanced. As you know, this usually happens in two cases - as a result of excessive physical exertion and sudden danger, when a large amount of adrenaline is released into the blood. Such a situation can be considered as an organism due to the activation of all its vital forces. Increases endurance and performance, so training becomes more productive.

The mood improves, the person strives for communication, he has an irresistible desire to talk with someone. At the end of the action of ephedrine, mood begins to drop sharply, severe depression occurs, irritability, anger, weakness, lethargy, weakness appear.

The use of ephedrine in sports

Athletes get the maximum benefit from the use of this substance. The effect of ephedrine on the body is such that many athletes use preparations based on it before competitions. This is due to the fact that the stimulant allows you to increase physical activity and at the same time not be so tired, plus it helps to burn fat.

Ephedrine is very popular in bodybuilding. The effect on the body of this substance is that it increases the metabolic rate, leads to stimulation of the heart rate, promotes the breakdown of fat and causes protein synthesis in skeletal muscles. The ability to exercise increases several times. Due to the fact that the body is not so tired, training becomes more intense and productive. But do not forget that the drug in sports is considered doping.

The benefits of ephedrine

The substance is also used to treat certain diseases. The effect of ephedrine on the patient's body bronchial asthma, rhinitis, sinusitis and bronchitis is very beneficial: it alleviates the condition of a person, as it contributes to the expansion of the bronchi. This stimulant has been used since ancient times as a effective remedy from various lung diseases. As a bronchodilator, ephedrine helps relieve asthma attacks. As a result of prolonged use, the effectiveness of the drug decreases, so combined treatment is often practiced.

In ophthalmology, a solution of ephedrine allows you to narrow the blood vessels of the eye and It has also been found that this substance well eliminates the consequences in case of poisoning with sleeping pills. As medical practice shows, ephedrine contributes to an increase in blood pressure in the event of a sharp decrease during anesthesia. Doctors also prescribe it to treat chronically low blood pressure.

All stimulants are available by prescription only.

Ephedrine use and consequences

Despite all the positive characteristics, this alkaloid cannot be called harmless. Preparations based on it can bring not only benefits, but also harm. Insofar as main component considered a narcotic substance, long-term use of the drug can cause dependence. The effect of ephedrine on the body, therefore, is twofold: along with the therapeutic effect, it can provoke the development of negative adverse reactions. Improving the working capacity and endurance of a person, the drug simultaneously contributes to the appearance of headaches, vomiting and nausea, while the respiratory and cardiovascular systems suffer greatly.

Ephedrine is not in vain recognized as a dangerous substance. Experts warn: even a short intake of such drugs provokes the development of diarrhea, and men may suffer from impaired urination and potency.

For diseases thyroid gland, heart problems, frequent increase in blood pressure, you should refrain from taking this drug. Since the action of ephedrine on the human body leads to stimulation of the central nervous system possible overdose. Its symptoms are rapid breathing, palpitations, panic, nausea, diarrhea, impaired blood pressure, trembling, loss of consciousness, extreme anxiety, hallucinations.

Contraindications

It is forbidden to take ephedrine in combination with antidepressants, in particular serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. Taking these two drugs at the same time contributes to the occurrence of side effects, since the level of norepinephrine sharply increases in the blood serum.

People suffering from hyperthyroidism, adrenal dysfunction, diabetes, having diseases of the cardiovascular system, as well as hypoxia, acidosis, hypercapnia, prostatic hypertrophy should take the drug very carefully.

Ephedrine is strictly prohibited in case of pheochromocytoma, allergies to this stimulant, angle-closure glaucoma, obstructive. The effect of ephedrine on the body of a pregnant woman can be extremely negative, therefore it is also contraindicated for ladies in position.

Preparations containing ephedrine

This substance is part of various drugs sold in pharmacies, and many of them are sold without a prescription. Usually, medicines with ephedrine, they have antitussive and anti-inflammatory effects, and also contribute to vasoconstriction. They are produced in the form of solutions for injections, tablets, syrups of plant origin and are used for bronchitis, whooping cough, bronchial asthma.

In addition, ephedrine is found in drugs that are used to treat high blood pressure, depression, allergies, myasthenia gravis, as well as drugs that normalize heart function.

Output

Ephedrine is prohibited for free sale. Nevertheless, it is not possible to completely abandon drugs based on it in some cases. Many patients, to whom the doctor prescribed drugs with the mentioned alkaloid, spoke about it in a positive way, noting that taking such drugs contributes to a significant improvement in their health. Professional athletes especially love ephedrine. But you should not abuse this substance, as it is often addictive, and discontinuation leads to adverse effects. Such drugs should be taken under the strict supervision of a physician.