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 a dose of caffeine and some aspirin.

Caffeine is known to most as a strong stimulant found in coffee, tea, chocolate and many soft drinks. If you see a weight loss supplement that indicates it boosts energy and increased fat loss, there is a very real 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 metabolic rate and helping you burn fat and lose weight.

Aspirin is another ingredient usually included in the ephedra stack, although it is optional. Aspirin is generally used to offset the affects of the caffeine and ephedrine. Also, there is some indication that aspirin reduces the reduction of ephedrine through urination allowing it to stay in the blood for a longer period and prolonging its effects. Once again, this is optional. Recently, several products are dropping 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 decrease feelings of fatigue. Additionally, this ephedra stack will curb your appetite. This has both positive and negative ramifications. On the up side, eating less often increases weight loss. However, if you are sticking to a workout regimen, it is very important to eat several small meals a day. If your body does not receive adequate nutrients, 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 your metabolism up. If you don’t eat your metabolism slows down. After a couple of weeks, you will negate the use of the ephedra stack by countering its effects on your metabolism.

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

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

· If you do not maintain a proper schedule 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 using ephedrine. It is essential 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 suffer from heart disease, thyroid disease, depression, difficulty urinating, enlarged prostate or a seizure disorder. Also do not use if you take an MAOI or any over the counter product containing ephedrine.

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

· Because caffeine is a diuretic, it is essential to get enough 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 no effort from you. Do not kid yourself. To achieve any consistent weight loss and help maintain the loss, you must include 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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