Seemingly every week, health officials find another drug or food harmful. This time we need to pay attention. The supplement is ephedra.
The familiar bottles read “Hydroxycut,” “Xenadrine” or “Metabolife.” They boast rapid fat loss and increased energy.
Metabolife is so popular that 101,000 pills are sold per hour, according to Glamour magazine.
The cases of problems with ephedra are not isolated. In 2000, the FDA counted 1,400 adverse effect reports. These cases include up to 100 deaths and hundreds of strokes, heart attacks and seizures.
The most recent publicized death was of Orioles pitcher, Steve Bechler, a 23-year-old pitcher who died last Monday from heat stroke. The Associated Press reports that the Broward County chief medical examiner has linked the player’s death to the use of Xenadrine RFA-1, a supplement containing ephedra.
For this death and others, we should blame the government and ourselves.
First of all, the government knows this drug is deadly and is acting too slowly. According to Glamour, the FDA knew the harm ten years ago.
Dr. Lester M. Crawford, deputy commissioner of the FDA, told a U.S. Senate subcommittee last October that numerous adverse side effects — such as elevated blood pressure, a rapid heart rate, nerve damage, muscle injury and memory loss — have been associated with using ephedra or related supplements.
Why do herbal supplements like ephedra go on the market without testing in the first place?
Secondly, we consumers don’t take labels and warnings seriously. Read and follow the fine print. When read carefully, a bottle of Xenadrine reads, “Consult a physician before using this product.” But we don’t.
Don’t be fooled by claims that your dietary supplement does not contain ephedra. Check for Ma Huang; it’s the same thing.
If you want to drop pounds, stop eating junk and start taking the stairs.
If you want to be prepared for your test, stop procrastinating. You have the syllabus. Start studying earlier.
If you want to be the best athlete, practice harder.
Why do we need a short cut for everything?
As Americans, we are in love with short cuts. Subconsciously, we even find short cuts to death.
As I reported last semester, Americans die most commonly from tobacco, alcohol and poor eating habits.
I don’t know about y’all, but I’m enjoying life. I don’t want to go anywhere, and I’m going to try to prolong my life.
Do we have to start a pro-life club on campus? Its acronym would be CLASS — Choose Life Away from Suicidal Society. Care to join?