Maureen Johnson
Daily Egyptian
It's No. 1 for a reason! It works!
This is not the slogan for a new program to lower the national unemployment rate. It is the slogan adopted by Metabolife International, Inc., a corporation that has declared war on another national problem: obesity.
According to Wes Siegner, general spokesperson for the Ephedra Education Counsel, the U.S. Surgeon General declared nearly 40 million American adults to be obese and some 300,000 Americans die from obesity-related diseases every year.
Several years ago, Metabolife International, Inc., manufactured Metabolife 356, a dietary supplement that would combat the effects of obesity and its resulting health problems. The supplement is marketed as an herbal formula that increases a user's metabolism, increases energy level and reduces appetite.
Siegner said Metabolife 356 and many other similar dietary supplements contain Ephedra, a substance that occurs naturally in the ephedra sinica plant. Ephedra is also known as ma huang and has been used for thousands of years in Chinese medicine.
Lynn Gill, coordinator of the Wellness Center in Nutrition Education, said Ephedra is known to be safe and effective when used in small doses. However, weight loss preparations may contain higher concentrations of Ephedra than the recommended dosage.
"The recommended dosage is five milligrams per serving and not to exceed 100 milligrams per day," Gill said. "But because it's considered an herb and not a drug, it's not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and some products exceed more than the recommended amount."
Furthermore, Gill said many dietary supplements contain guarana seeds, which is essentially caffeine. When Ephedra is combined with caffeine, it magnifies the stimulant effect.
Richard Price, senior associate of the Aker Partners Public Relations Firm for the Ephedra Education Council, said dietary supplements containing Ephedra are safe as long as consumers take the supplements as directed.
"More than 12 million Americans are currently benefiting from using Ephedra dietary supplements," Price said. "The responsible manufacturers and distributors of Ephedra dietary supplements adopted industry standards that are included on all our Ephedra dietary supplement products for consumers to follow."
But Gill is concerned about the possibility of adverse effects of large quantities of Ephedra. She said the FDA has received many complaints concerning symptoms as mild as insomnia and as severe as psychosis, heart attacks and strokes.
"Ephedra works in the central nervous system," Gill said. "Ephedrine is a naturally occurring substance in our bodies. If we were to see a tiger, for example, and get scared, our blood pressure goes up, our eyes dilate, our heart rate increases and our perspiration occurs. This is the same effect this drug is giving the body. If this is continually taken over the next three months, what can happen is an adrenal exhaustion in the body because of that response."
Gill stressed that people with high blood pressure, heart problems, hyperthyroidism, prostrate and urinary problems should definitely not take supplements with Ephedra. Furthermore, Ephedra may be dangerous for people who are pregnant, breast feeding or have problems with blood sugar or glaucoma.
Gill also said people taking monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor drugs, which are used as antidepressants, and those who are taking over-the-counter medications to control asthma, sinus, allergy or colds should not take these supplements, because many of these products already contain Ephedra.
However, Price emphasized Ephedra is safe when directed.
"Researchers from Harvard and Columbia Universities found that overweight, healthy Americans participating in this study lost between 11 and 12 pounds without experiencing significant side effects," Price said.
In addition to being unhealthy, supplements may also be ineffective if used over a long period of time. Gill said she would like to see a long-term study to determine if there is long-term success with using dietary supplements containing Ephedra.
"I suspect that more people than not would have a weight gain once these pills are discontinued," Gill said. "What is better for your health and ensures long-term success is a reduction of total calories and an increase in physical activity. But it takes patience, time and planning, and many people aren't willing to do that."
Gill suggested healthier alternatives to dietary supplements with Ephedra. She recommended people cook less food and slow down their eating. Gill said people should also avoid eating while driving and watching television.
"That's the behavioral part I think these diet pills and diet programs and fad diets don't address," Gill said. "Many people take these pills and don't change their lifestyle, hoping that the pill will take care of it for them."
Jane Maxwell, the outreach and group counseling coordinator for Women's Services at the Counseling Center, said the decision to use dietary supplements containing Ephedra may include emotional issues such as poor body image and low self-esteem.
"I think people are looking for a quick fix to improve themselves or their appearance," Maxwell said. "But a pill is not going to solve the problem because as soon as they quit taking the pills, they'll go back to their same eating habits."
Maxwell said companies such as Metabolife International, Inc., may target both men and women who are vulnerable and have poor self-images. She said such men and women feel that weight loss supplements will improve their lives by improving their appearances.
"[Dietary supplements] can have a very short-term positive effect on self-image," Maxwell said. "But if someone has trouble with self-esteem and a very poor image of themselves in terms of appearance, that short-term boost will go away and the real problems will resurface."
Maxwell recommended that people with a poor body image think about what it's like to accept themselves. She said that being healthy doesn't necessarily mean being thin.
"Being healthy also is how you think of yourself," Maxwell said. "If there is something you'd like to change, invest yourself into changing lifelong habits into something positive."
Reporter Maureen Johnson can be reached at mjohnson@dailyegyptian.com
Published on 11/17/05; 12:24:44 PM
