Caffeine & Energy Boosting Drugs / Question
Published: June 11, 2002
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I know taking any ephedrine product causes risks to your health. I've read about the effects it has to the CNS and the heart - headaches, irregular heartbeat, nervousness and insomnia, just to name what I can remember. My question is this: If someone stops taking an ephedrine-containing substance, do these risks remain? Or do they decrease, like the health risks decrease when one quits smoking?
Signed: Do Risks Remain After Stopping Ephedrine
Dear Do Risks Remain After Stopping Ephedrine,
TeenHealthFX knows that ephedrine is widely used for weight loss, as an energy booster, and to enhance athletic performance. Before we get into the long-term risks associated with the drug, we would like to say first that if your reasons for taking this product are among these, that we would encourage you to consider healthier, more complete methods of reaching your goals. Whether you are looking to lose weight, have more energy or even perform better on the playing fields, the best and most sustainable way to do so is though proper diet, nutrition and exercise.
Eating healthy and getting regular exercise are great places to start on your way to a healthier lifestyle. A good guide for eating healthy and getting a balanced diet is the Food Pyramid. Use this as a guide, but you probably need more servings in each group in order to gain weight. You will find that good diet and exercise will make you feel great, give you more energy and send you on your way to a long and healthy life! TeenHealthFX highly recommends that you go see your doctor and a nutritionist to discuss your diet and exercise regimen.
Now, as far as risks associated with ephedrine go, you are smart to be concerned. Ephedrine is an amphetamine like compound that does indeed have stimulant effects on the central nervous system and heart including hypertension (elevated blood pressure), palpitations (rapid heart rate), neurophathy (nerve damage), myopathy (muscle injury), psychosis, stroke, memory loss, heart rate irregularities, insomnia, nervousness, tremors, seizures, heart attacks, and even in extreme cases, death. The bottom line is this - the short-term safety of ephedrine is iffy. As to whether the risks remain over time after usage has stopped, unfortunately the long-term effects are unknown.
Lastly, please keep in mind that your body is still growing which means that you should not take any unnecessary over the counter or medication not prescribed for you. Good luck and continue to eat healthy and exercise regularly.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
A comprehensive review of pediatric trials conducted between 1988 and 2006 suggests that the benefits of antidepressant medications likely outweigh their risks to children and adolescents with major depressive and anxiety disorders.
