Guest guest Posted March 4, 2003 Report Share Posted March 4, 2003 : Mon, 3 Mar 2003 16:30:00 -0500 HSI - Jenny Thompson Ban the Torpedoes BAN THE TORPEDOES Health Sciences Institute e-Alert March 3, 2003 ************************************************************** Dear Reader, Since the tragic death two weeks ago of Steve Bechler, the young Baltimore Orioles pitcher who died of complications due to a history of heart problems presumably compounded by an intake of a diet supplement containing ephedrine, a firestorm of controversy has erupted. The knee-jerk reaction from the medical mainstream has been predictable: a call for the ban of ephedra, demands for more explicit warning labels on ephedra bottles, and a general resumption of the discussion about treating herbal and dietary supplements as pharmaceuticals with all the attendant regulations. ----------------------------- What's under the hood? ----------------------------- This past Friday the FDA proposed that bottles of ephedra should be labeled with a warning that the herb may cause heart attack, stroke and death. FDA representatives also said that a ban on some ephedra-containing products is also being discussed. This reference to " ephedra-containing " products is as close as they get to making the important distinction between two very different supplements: ephedra (an herb that should be used with caution and provides excellent relief from asthma), and ephedrine (a typical ingredient of diet formulations that should be used with extreme caution because the active component of ephedra is boosted to dangerously high levels). To compare ephedra and ephedrine as if they are one and the same is like comparing a '65 beetle Volkswagen with a Formula One race car. Sure, they're both automobiles, but one has a top speed of MAYBE 80 miles per hour, while the other can more than triple that speed. Put someone who's not careful behind the wheel of either of these cars, and you'll get drastically different results. But in the current public debate over the safety of ephedra and ephedrine, the two tend to be regarded as more or less one and the same. So they're usually referred to generically as " ephedra. " As a result, the less dangerous herbal form of ephedra is getting the blame for the sins of ephedrine. ----------------------------- Risk assessment ----------------------------- In response to Friday's FDA announcement, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said, " Throughout America, there continue to be tragic incidents that link dietary supplements containing ephedra to serious health problems. I don't now why anyone would take these products. Why take the risk? " I can't help but wonder if Secretary Thompson has ever taken an acetaminophen product such as Tylenol. A total of about 100 deaths have been attributed to complications involving " ephedra-containing " products. Meanwhile, the FDA estimates that the thousands of acetaminophen overdoses each year result in about 100 deaths. That's 100 PER YEAR! But do we hear the FDA calling for a ban on acetaminophen? Of course not. And don't even get me started on the risks associated with every prescription filled in this country every day. If Secretary Thompson is puzzled about why people continue to take ephedra, do you suppose he also shakes his head and says, " I don't know why anyone would take prescription drugs or acetaminophen. Why take the risk? " Keep in mind that this is the same man ready to line us all up and inject us with smallpox vaccines, knowing that hundreds or even thousands of Americans may suffer permanent debilitating side effects and death. ----------------------------- Self regulating ----------------------------- An Associated Press report about the FDA comments last Friday included this statement: " Because ephedra is an herb, U.S. law lets manufacturers sell it over-the-counter with little oversight to ensure safety. " Well...not exactly. Ephedra is sold over-the-counter with little oversight from the FDA. That much is true. But the supplement industry has provided its own " oversight. " Without any laws being passed, and without any FDA directives, guidelines for ephedra dosage and label warnings were drafted in 1994 by the American Herbal Products Association, in collaboration with the National Nutritional Food Association and the Utah Natural Products Association. The draft was revised and adopted in 2000 by the Consumer Health Products Association. Herbal product manufacturers have recognized the dangers of ephedra and their responsible reaction has been in the best interest of the public. An all-out ban of ephedra would only benefit pharmaceutical companies that sell asthma drugs. And we will simply never be able to protect the people that choose to ignore warning labels or use products at dosages much higher than recommended. ************************************************************** ....and another thing I've told you about the benefits of eating berries in a number of past e-Alerts. So even though this is old news for some of you, it never hurts to repeat it every now and then. Especially because many berries increase the levels of a flavonoid called quercetin - a highly effective antioxidant that has been shown to help provide protection against heart disease, lung cancer, asthma and type 2 diabetes. A new study from the National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland compared flavonoid levels in the blood of 40 men whose average age was 60. For eight weeks, half the group ate 100 grams a day of bilberries, blackcurrants, and lingonberries. The other 20 continued their normal diets. Researchers found that men in the berry-eating group ingested more than twice the amount of quercetin than men in the non-berry group. Over a long period of time, this higher intake of quercetin could have a very positive effect on health, especially since berries are also rich in vitamin C and natural fiber. Bilberries are also believed to help prevent age related macular degeneration. The Helsinki researchers noted that raw berries are preferable to berries that are frozen or cooked because freezing and heating can destroy some antioxidants. To Your Good Health, Jenny Thompson Health Sciences Institute ************************************************************** Sources: " FDA Proposes Warning Labels for Ephedra " Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press, 2/28/03 Berries: A Great Source of Plant Antioxidants " Dr. Joseph Mercola, mercola.com Copyright ©1997-2003 by www.hsibaltimore.com, L.L.C. The e-Alert may not be posted on commercial sites without written permission. ************************************************************** Before you hit reply to send us a question or request, please click here http://www.hsibaltimore.com/ealert/questions.html ************************************************************** ************************************************************** If you'd like to participate in the HSI Forum, search past e-Alerts and products or you're an HSI member and would like to search past articles, visit http://www.hsibaltimore.com ************************************************************** To learn more about HSI, call (203) 699-4416 or visit http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/HSI/WHSIC313/home.cfm. ************************************************************** Gettingwell- / Vitamins, Herbs, Aminos, etc. To , e-mail to: Gettingwell- Or, go to our group site: Gettingwell Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, and more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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