Ephedra, a stimulating herb that grows in arid regions of the world, goes by such names as: Mormon Tea, Ma Huang, Squaw Tea, and Herbal Ecstasy.

The Chinese have been using Ephedra for more than 5,000 years to treat the afflictions of the lungs. The main active chemical component of Ephedra is ephedrine, a beta-adrenergic agonist (increases heart rate and body temperature.) It is a natural source of the alkaloids ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. Some dietary supplement products used for weight loss and to enhance athletic performance contain these alkaloids.

Ephedra is a powerful stimulant that can boost one’s metabolic rate, increasing the rate at which calories are burned by the body, along with acting as an appetite suppressant. In addition, Ephedra can alleviate allergies, congestion, and other such conditions by expanding air passages in the lungs.

Other uses and benefits include treating colds, flus, aching joints, and chills.

In the United States, Ephedra and ephedrine are sold in health food stores under a variety of brand names. Ephedrine is widely used for weight loss, as an energy booster, and to enhance athletic performance. These products often contain other stimulants, such as caffeine, which may have synergistic effects and increase the potential for adverse effects. Ephedra is often touted as the "herbal fen-phen."

Over the last few years ephedra has gained much more attention for its side-effects: an increased metabolism, plus the thermeogenic and fat burning qualities that come along with that. This gives the body stimulation and provides energy. Thanks to these qualities ephedra now has a status of weight-loss supplement, smartdrug and sports supplement.

2. What is ephedrine?
Ephedrine is a chemical derivative of the herb Ephedra sinica and several other species of Ephedra, and was first isolated and used pharmaceutically about 100 years ago. It stimulates the central nervous and the cardiovascular systems, and causes the lung bronchi to dilate. Products containing ephedrine may use the compound extracted from Ephedra or be produced synthetically.