Ephedra - Are There Any Medical Reasons for Taking This Substance?

Are There Any Medical Reasons for Taking This Substance?

Ephedra has been used to treat a variety of ailments for thousands of years. Because it can dilate breathing tubes and ease congestion in the nasal passages, it has been used as an ingredient in some over-the-counter decongestants and cough and cold products. Until it was banned in 2004, ephedra was used in the United States mainly as a weight-loss aid, a body-building product, and a booster for improved athletic performance.

Many ephedra supplements claimed that they could boost ones energy and feed ones brain. Laura Dwight/Corbis.
Many ephedra supplements claimed that they could boost one's energy and feed one's brain. © Laura Dwight/Corbis.

In a report on Chinese herbal medicine published in the Dallas Morning News, Esther Wu interviewed experts in the field of herbal remedies. One of these experts, Dr. Richard Tao of the Dallas College of Oriental Medicine, commented: "In the United States, the herb has been abused. Ma huang is not traditionally used for losing weight."