Study Indicates Ephedra Is Safe and Effective for Weight Loss in
Healthy Individuals
Golden
CO, 13 May 2002
No
Increased Adverse Effects Recorded in Long-Term Study
One
of the strongest safety and efficacy clinical trials to date on
herbal ephedra/caffeine -- conducted independently by investigators
at Harvard, Columbia and other academic institutions -- revealed
that those taking the herbal combination lost more body weight and
body fat without an increase in significant adverse effects compared
with the placebo group. The study will be published in the May issue
of the International Journal of Obesity (Vol 26, pages 593-604).
"The
results generated from the finest institutions in the country offer
hard science facts to an otherwise hearsay industry," stated Christine
Riggs, PhD, Director of Science, EAS, who sponsored the study in
part with others. "Without a doubt, a significant benchmark has
been achieved in demonstrating the safety of the ephedra/caffeine
combination when used responsibly by consumers."
The
six-month long-term randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
human clinical trial used 167 patients who were healthy but overweight
(with a body mass index of 25 to 40). Subjects were counseled to
limit intake of dietary fat to 30 percent of calories, exercise
moderately and were randomly assigned to receive either an herbal
supplement or placebo.
Dr.
Riggs noted that the researchers' advice on reducing dietary fat
and exercising moderately was a wise and contributing factor for
aiding in reductions in body weight and body mass. The ephedra/caffeine
group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in body composition
as well as blood lipids -- increased HDL and decreased LDL-in comparison
to the control group.
"Conducted
at elite research institutions, the study's results are very compelling
and add more credibility to the safe use of herbal ephedra/caffeine,"
states Dr. Riggs. "There is no single magic bullet to weight management.
Consumers who use our science-based thermogenic supplements should
do so with a proper diet and exercise regimen."
Science,
Toxicology & Technology (ST&T) Consultants, comprised of a group
of prominent MDs, PhDs, toxicologists, and other physicians, scientists,
regulators and safety engineers, worked in concert with the universities
involved in the study. Other researchers (in addition to Harvard
and Columbia) represented organizations such as St. Luke's-Roosevelt
Hospital, Vanderbilt, Beth Israel Medical Center and Cigna Health
Care.
"ST&T
believes this quality of study speaks well for those in clinical
research who have taken on the challenge of this research," stated
Michael Scott, ST&T. "In doing so, they have helped the public gain
credible information about such products."
The
study is available on the website of Science, Toxicology and Technology
(www.toxinfo.com/).
EAS
currently markets several ephedra- (also known as Ma Huang)
based products as part of its weight management/energy thermogenic
series, and contributed part of the funding of this study.
Source
EAS,
via PR Newswire.
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