Tweet
The relative safety of Ephedra compared with other herbal products
Ephedra is widely used in dietary supplements that are marketed to promote weight loss or increase energy; however, the safety of this product has been questioned because of numerous case reports of adverse events. The objective of this study was to compare the risk for adverse events attributable to ephedra and other herbal products.
Products containing ephedra accounted for 64% of all adverse reactions to herbs in the United States, yet these products represented only 0.82% of herbal product sales. The relative risks for an adverse reaction in persons using ephedra, compared with other herbs, were extremely high, ranging from 100 for kava to 720 for Ginkgo biloba.
Conclusions: Ephedra use is associated with a greatly increased risk for adverse reactions compared with other herbs, and its use should be restricted.
Ephedra is widely used in dietary supplements that are marketed to promote weight loss or increase energy; however, the safety of this product has been questioned because of numerous case reports of adverse events. The objective of this study was to compare the risk for adverse events attributable to ephedra and other herbal products.
Products containing ephedra accounted for 64% of all adverse reactions to herbs in the United States, yet these products represented only 0.82% of herbal product sales. The relative risks for an adverse reaction in persons using ephedra, compared with other herbs, were extremely high, ranging from 100 for kava to 720 for Ginkgo biloba.
Conclusions: Ephedra use is associated with a greatly increased risk for adverse reactions compared with other herbs, and its use should be restricted.