Kidney Toxicity Related To Herbs And Dietary Supplements

Ephedra comes from the Ephedra sinica plant which has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Many people are concerned about the connection between Ephedra and Ephedrine and the potential side effects that may result from continued use. However, Ephedra is used for its scientifically backed ability to help people lose weight. Ephedra use has been linked to cardiovascular adverse effects, including hypertension, stroke, and MI. Patients with hyperthyroidism, benign prostatic hyperplasia, glaucoma, diabetes mellitus, and seizures and women who are pregnant should exercise particular caution. Taking ephedra along with methylxanthines might cause side effects such as jitteriness, nervousness, a fast heartbeat, high blood pressure, and anxiety.

Some research indicates that CLA has no major effect on lipid profiles, but other research shows that certain CLA isomers might decrease HDL cholesterol and increase lipoprotein levels [109,110,116, ]. The CLA isomer t10c12-CLA has also been reported to increase insulin resistance and glycemia in obese men with metabolic syndrome . High levels of vitamin K are also a problem, as vitamin K interferes with warfarin.

Leptin is also related to reproductive function, while ghrelin stimulates the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. Further studies of these two hormones may lead to the development of new medications to control appetite and food intake. Doctors sometimes prescribe fluoxetine , an antidepressant that can increase weight loss by about 10%. Weight loss may be temporary and side effects of this medication include diarrhea, fatigue, insomnia, nausea, and thirst. Providers of medicines, such as physicians, nurses, and pharmacists, often have little training in and understanding of how herbal medicines affect the health of their patients.

Ephedra is used for weight loss and obesity and to enhance athletic performance. It is also used for allergies and hay fever; nasal congestion; and respiratory tract conditions such as bronchospasm, asthma, and bronchitis. It is also used for colds, flu, swine flu, fever, chills, headache, inability to sweat, joint and bone pain, and as a “water pill” to increase urine flow in people who retain fluids. Although some positive effects on metabolism and body weight have been seen across a variety of doses, many have questioned the safety of ephedrine. Alkaloids obtained from the species of Ephedra used in herbal medicines, which are used to synthetically prepare pseudoephedrine and ephedrine, can cause cardiovascular events.

But because making diet and lifestyle changes can be difficult, many people turn to dietary supplements promoted for weight loss in the hope that these products will help them more easily achieve their weight-loss goals. Amphetamines are a class of sympathomimetic agents, which include methamphetamine, dextroamphetamine, and methylphenidate. This class also includes naturally occurring substances such as cathinone , from the plant Catha edulis, and ephedrine from the plant pandan. Their dependency and overdose are worrisome medical, ethical, and social concerns. These drugs are used in the lawful treatment of attention deficit disorder and narcolepsy.

Lipodrene Elite, HydroxyElite, and Ultimate Orange all have Dimethylhexylamine. According to a Business Insider report, the Harvard researcher, Dr. Pieter Cohen, won the case, but the trial was long and expensive. Critics saw the frivolous lawsuit as a way for Wheat and Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals to intimidate other academics investigating the growing supplement industry. It inhibits the discharge of targeted enzymes that control fat storage while also stimulating cellular energy, effectively causing the individual fat cells to release unwanted fatty acids.

In response, the supplement industry created a public relations group, the Ephedra Education Council, to oppose the changes, and commissioned a scientific review by a private consulting firm, which reported that ephedra was safe. The Ephedra Education Council also attempted to block publication of a study confirming wide discrepancies between the labeled potency of supplements and the actual amount of ephedra in the product. Ephedra-containing dietary supplements are currently banned in the United States. Dosages of ephedra more than 32 mg/day have resulted in adverse reactions. A. Excessive body weight has been shown to predispose to various diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus type 2, sleep disturbances and osteoarthritis. Obesity is one of the major risk factors for developing a heart attack, as well as hypertension and stroke.

The authors noted that the weight gain might have occurred by chance because the trial was insufficiently powered to detect this small difference. In humans, however, results of clinical trials that assessed the impact of probiotics on obesity-related endpoints have been inconsistent. One 12-week clinical trial, for example, randomized 210 healthy adults aged 35 to 60 years who had large amounts of visceral fat to consume 200 g/day fermented milk containing 107, 106, or 0 colony-forming units of Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055 per gram of milk . Participants who received 107 or 106 CFU/g milk of Lactobacillus gasseri experienced significant reductions in visceral fat area (mean reductions of 8.5% and 8.2%, respectively), BMI, waist and hip circumference, and body fat mass compared with the control group. However, among the 77 female participants, the Lactobacillus supplementation did significantly reduce body weight after 12 weeks (loss of 1.8 kg) and 24 weeks (loss of 2.6 kg) compared with placebo. Another systematic review and meta-analysis included 15 randomized controlled trials, 6 of which examined the effects of caffeine (39–83 mg/day) with and without green tea catechins (576–690 mg/day) on anthropometric measurements.

Support groups that are informed about healthy, nutritious, and balanced diets can offer an individual the support he or she needs to maintain this type of eating regimen. Visualization and meditation can create and reinforce a positive self-image that enhances the patient’s determination to lose weight. By improving nine amino acids physical strength, mental concentration, and emotional serenity, yoga can provide the same benefits. Also, patients who play soft, slow music during meals often find that they eat less food but enjoy it more. Much concern has been generated about the increasing incidence of obesity among Americans.

Some weight-loss supplement labels do not declare the amount of caffeine in the product and only list the herbal ingredients. As a result, consumers might not be aware that the presence of certain herbs means that a product contains caffeine and possibly other stimulants anti inflammatory herbs . Not surprisingly, the amount of scientific information available on these ingredients varies considerably. In some cases, evidence of their purported benefits consists of limited data from animal and laboratory studies, rather than data from human clinical trials.

Studies might also use different and sometimes inappropriate assessment techniques to measure the effectiveness of a given treatment. All of these factors can make it difficult to compare the results of one study with those of another. Name of RemedyUsesRisksEphedra (Ephedra sinica, also called Ma-Huang)To treat coughs and obesityDangerous and life-threatening increases in heart rate and blood pressure. The stimulants in Lipodrene, which include ephedra, green tea, caffeine and synephrine hcl should help boost metabolism and increase energy levels.

The FDA also proposed that ephedra labels be required to disclose the health risks of ephedra, such as heart attack, stroke, and death. Escalating concerns regarding the safety of ephedra supplements led the FDA to ban the sale of supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids in the United States in 2004. This ban was challenged by supplement manufacturers and initially overturned, but ultimately upheld. There are no formal requirements for standardization or quality control of dietary supplements in the United States, and the dosage of effective ingredients in supplements may vary widely from brand to brand or batch to batch. Studies of ephedra supplements have found significant discrepancies between the labeled dose and the actual amount of ephedra in the product.

Available green tea extracts cover the range from minimally processed tea leaves to highly processed, manufactured concentrates of single constituents, such as EGCG. The use of herbal medicinal products and supplements has increased tremendously over the past three decades with not less than 80% of people worldwide relying on them for some part of primary healthcare. Although therapies involving these agents have shown promising potential with the efficacy of a good number of herbal products clearly established, many of them remain untested and their use are either poorly monitored or not even monitored at all. The consequence of this is an inadequate knowledge of their mode of action, potential adverse reactions, contraindications, and interactions with existing orthodox pharmaceuticals and functional foods to promote both safe and rational use of these agents.

Because of its potential serious side effects, its use is not recommended. There has been a lot of debate about the safety of ephedra and legal wrangling over its status. These proposals were dropped after the link between ephedra use and serious adverse effects was challenged by the General Accounting Office and the dietary supplement industry. According to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, FDA must prove a supplement is unsafe before it can be withdrawn from the market.

Hoodia extract comes from the hoodia gordonii cactus that is native to various regions of Africa, according to LiverTox. It is often used in folk medicine and contains some properties that could make its inclusion integral in Lipodrene’s proprietary blend. Claims have been made that this plant acts as an appetite suppressant, but many believe that these claims are false. International Journal of Obesity – As for caffeine, some people report decreased appetite and scored higher on assessments, in clinical research after taking the stimulant. It seems to us that the product relies heavily on ephedra, which as we will explain is not only potentially dangerous but also potentially ineffective for fat loss. Since, there are several varieties of Ephedra Specie Plants, Ephedra Diet Pills are still able to be formulated, manufactured and sold in the United States.

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