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What are Ephedrine Side Effects?

By Troy Holmes
Updated May 17, 2024
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Ephedrine is a dietary supplement that is considered a stimulant that opens the bronchial passages. This drug is used by athletes and dieters to provide artificial energy. Ephedrine side effects include stroke, heart attacks, insomnia, seizures, and severe nervousness.

Most ephedrine products are made from pure ephedrine. This drug stimulates the nervous system by enhancing the release of norepinephrine into the body. This is similar to the effects of adrenaline, which makes the body feel energetic and hyper-sensitive. Ephedrine effects typically last for a few hours after ingestion. An individual suspected of overdosing should seek immediate medical attention.

Ephedrine should not be mixed with other stimulants including caffeine and diet medicines. This may cause an overdose, which could lead to accidental death. This supplement causes and increased heart rate, which can lead to heart malfunction.

Asthma sufferers have been using ephedrine-based inhalers for decades. This drug stimulates the bronchial passages, which makes breathing easier. It also increases the heart rate and blood pressure. This typically relieves chest pressure for asthma suffers.

Many dieters use ephedrine to lose weight. This is because one of the ephedrine side effects is loss of appetite. This stimulate tricks the body into a feeling energetic and alert, which reduces the urge to eat. Most ephedrine users can lose significant weight by starving the body from essential nutrients. This weight loss side effect has caused many competitive sports groups to ban the use of ephedrine.

Anxiety and restlessness are two well known ephedrine side effects. This causes feelings of anxiousness or uneasiness by users of this product. Restlessness disorder is commonly caused by stress and over stimulation of the nervous system. This can cause a person to become unstable in his general behavior.

Many athletes have suffered heart attacks and strokes while taking ephedrine-based products. These products include energy drinks, pills, and other supplements that have ephedrine additives. One of the serious ephedrine side effects is heart attack. This typically occurs when a user takes too much of this supplement. When taking stimulants, extreme caution should be used. Users should should not take more than the recommend daily dosage.

Individuals who are sensitive to stimulants should not use ephedrine supplements. Ephedrine side effects provide the same feeling as a cup of coffee. Because the drug opens the bronchial passages it provides more oxygen to the system. This energetic feeling can be considerable for people who are uncomfortable with typical stimulant side effects.

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Discussion Comments

By literally45 — On Dec 09, 2013

@burcidi-- I used it responsibly too but still had problems. So I don't think that ephedrine or ephedra side effects are only due to dose. Everyone reacts to medications differently.

I didn't even take the medication form of it, I took it in the form of an energy drink. It gave me severe anxiety, confusion and made me tremble. I ended up going to the emergency room. They said that my blood pressure is too high, gave me something to lower it and told me never to use anything with ephedrine again.

By burcidi — On Dec 08, 2013

Ephedrine HCL side effects are not all bad. It's a stimulant so it increases energy levels, reduces fatigue, speeds up metabolism and causes the body to burn more fat. That's why so many athletes and people who want to lose weight use it. It really works.

I've used it in small, safe doses to burn fat. I never experienced any negative side effects. I experienced all the good ones. I could work out longer, I lost weight and felt great.

I'm sure if I took too much or took it for a very long time, I would have had problems too. But if it's taken responsibly, it's fine.

By SteamLouis — On Dec 07, 2013

I used ephedrine for a short time and it gave me insomnia and heart palpitations. I just wanted some extra energy to work but I ended up feeling sick. I was also very drained out and tired the next day. It took me a few days to get over its effects. I'm not going to take it again.

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