Is ephedra legal or not?

[sivic02]

I know back a while ago the FDA banned ephedra, then it was legal again, then it was banned again. How come some places actually have ephedra products? There is one gas station near one of the subdivisions i work in a lot and they keep on having new ephedra, not just old stuff they had stored in the back. I can only find it there and a select few gas stations so can anyone just explain the laws behind the ephedra ban?

[beef_bourito]

i'm not sure, i read something recently about ephedra but i can't remember what it said, if i can find it i'll let you know.

are you looking to use it or is it just out of curiosity?

[thrasher]

Yeah, it's legal again, but a lot of places don't carry it I think.

[beef_bourito]

whether it's legal or not i wouldn't suggest using it. you can get the same results without it but they might take a bit more time. just diet right and do the right cardio and you'll lose those pounds.

my personal belief is that until you do some serious bodybuilding competitions you shouldn't really need supplements other than your basic multivitamine, protein, maybe some amino acids. but creatine and NOX are unnecessary, they haven't done any serious testing on those and they don't know any long term effects so for all we know you could be killing yourself lol. plus they found that if you take more than the recomended dose you can have kidney problems, so it can't be good for you.

as for steroids, i wouldn't touch them ever. the only competition that you actually need them for is Mr Olympia. you can win national competitions without them, i remember reading about a guy who went all natural (sort of, he didn't touch steroids) and was winning national competitions, but when he wanted to go to mr olympia he had to take them to be competitive in any way.

[sivic02]

Ive been using ephedra for years, its one of the greatest supplements ever. Im not a pro bodybuilder or anything but I enjoy working out and just because you arent involved in competitions doesnt mean that using things like creatine or nitric oxide (which i wouldnt really consider in the same class as even creatine) arent great to see good gains in strength or size for personal gratification.

[03cavPA]

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01434.html

FDA Statement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Statement
August 21, 2006
Media Inquiries:
Heidi Valetkevitch,301-827-6242
Consumer Inquiries:
888-INFO-FDA

FDA Statement on Tenth Circuit’s Ruling to Uphold FDA Decision Banning Dietary Supplements Containing Ephedrine Alkaloids

Background: On Aug. 17, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in Denver upheld the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) final rule declaring all dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids adulterated, and therefore illegal for marketing in the United States, reversing a decision by the District Court of Utah.
The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling demonstrates the soundness of FDA's decision to ban dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids, consistent with the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals also found that Congress clearly required FDA to conduct a risk-benefit analysis under DSHEA.
FDA conducted an exhaustive and highly resource-intensive evaluation of the relevant scientific data evidence on ephedrine alkaloids before issuing its final rule, which became effective in 2004. The court found that the 133,000-page administrative record compiled by FDA supports the agency's findings that dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids pose an unreasonable risk of illness or injury to users, especially those suffering from heart disease and high blood pressure.
No dosage of dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids is safe and the sale of these products in the United States is illegal and subject to FDA enforcement action.

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[beef_bourito]

i'm not saying they don't work, i just believe that unless you actually need them you should try to avoid them. i was thinking of using them at some point but decided not to, not to mention if they ever did a piss test at one of the competitions i'd be kicked out (rowing, they never do piss tests unless you're at the world championships or the olympics, there really aren't many drugs involved with rowing). my main reason behind not using them though is that they aren't good for your body, and although it'll take more time to make gains and might take more effort, it'll ultimately be healthier. not to mention that i have to make weight for rowing so i can't put on much more muscle, if any.