Ephedrine is a stimulant substance belonging to the group of sympathomimetic drugs. Once ingested, it mimics the activity of noradrenaline, a powerful endogenous hormone released by the body in situations that require immediate and important physical effort.
An athlete engaged in a sprint race can for example benefit from the increased body temperature caused by intense metabolic activity. The slimming effects of ephedrine, particularly appreciated by overweight people and bodybuilders, are also linked to this feature. The stimulating effects of ephedrine also increase concentration, muscle strength and the ability to withstand intense efforts both physically and psychologically.
For all these reasons the use of ephedrine is particularly widespread in the sports, medical and aesthetic fields.
Taking
To avoid addiction, with consequent loss of the desired effects, it is very important that ephedrine intake is not continuous. To obtain maximum effects it is advisable to use it only in conjunction with particularly intense and demanding workouts or competitions.
STACK
The stack is in effect a slimming drug that in some countries is sold freely as a food supplement. Each tablet contains 25-50 mg of ephedrine, 200 mg of caffeine and 300 mg of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid).
The combination of caffeine and ephedrine significantly increases the basal metabolism (from 10 to 20%) raising the body temperature up to a degree centigrade. In addition to stimulating lipid oxidation, the stack prevents the synthesis of new fat deposits and reduces the sense of hunger. It is no coincidence that ephedrine is often associated with appetite inhibiting drugs.
Athletes generally take two to three stack tablets a day until body temperature is within normal range. When this happens it means that the body has become addicted and increasing the dose to get the same effects is not a good strategy. At this point it is good to suspend Stack for a few weeks in order to fully benefit from its effects upon resumption of employment.
Ephedra side effects and precautions
Ephedrine can give rise to numerous side effects that every sportsman should know before using them. The most common are: restlessness, tremors, sweating, tachycardia, hypertension and insomnia.
The use of ephedrine is contraindicated in case of thyroid dysfunction, hypertension or heart problems.
If during an anti-doping check an ephedrine concentration of more than 10 micrograms / ml is detected in the urine, the athlete is blocked, which risks a disqualification generally between two and six months
See also: Ephedrine
