Ephedra Stack

If you have ever attempted to lose weight, or if you have ever had a single conversation with a body builder, you have probably heard of an ephedra stack. Ephedra contains ephedrine, a very potent stimulant found in the Ma huang plant and in the heartleaf plant known as Sida cordifolia. The “stack” in an ephedra stack usually includes a dose of caffeine and some aspirin.

Caffeine as we all know, is also a strong stimulant found in coffee, tea, chocolate and most soft drinks. If you see a weight loss product that indicates it boosts energy and helps with fat loss, there is a very real possibility it’s got caffeine in it. When caffeine is taken 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 component often included in the ephedra stack, although it is optional. Aspirin is generally used to balance the affects of the caffeine and ephedrine. Also, there has been some indication that aspirin reduces the reduction of ephedrine through urination allowing it to stay in the blood for a longer length of time and extending 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 like norepinephrine, a stress response is triggered. This response increases the heart rate and blood pressure, expands airways and boosts the resting metabolic rate. It may increase energy and alertness and reduce feelings of lethargy. Additionally, this ephedra stack will curb your appetite. This has both pro’s and con’s. On the up side, eating less often increases weight loss. However, if you are maintaining a workout schedule, it is vitally important to eat several small meals a day. If your body does not receive proper nutrition, it cannot heal itself after a hard workout. Make sure that you are eating 5 or 6 small meals per day. Even if you don’t feel like it, proper nutrition can make or break your fitness 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 cancel out the use of the ephedra stack by countering its effects on your metabolic rate.

There are risks to the ephedra stack that should be taken into account before adding it to your weight loss regimen.

· Ephedrine will increase 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 maintain a proper schedule of diet and exercise, ephedrine will not only burn fat, but also burn muscle. As mentioned above, maintaining a proper diet and an exercise routine will only add to the weight loss functions of the ephedra stack.

· Some people have experienced sleeplessness, nervousness, headaches, seizures , heart attacks, strokes and in a few rare cases, death from using ephedrine. It is important to follow the dosing indications listed on the supplements you take and heed your doctor’s recommendations 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 do not use if you take an MAOI or any OTC product containing ephedrine.

· Some athletic organizations 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 essential 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 shed pounds. In fact, for the first couple of weeks or so, you may believe you have discovered a magic formula that melts fat away with minimal effort from you. Do not be fooled. To achieve any consistent weight loss and help maintain the loss, 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 supplements.

Fetch important advice in the sphere of weight loss - please read this publication. The times have come when concise information is really at your fingertips, use this chance.

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