Ephedra is an ingredient that was once popular in many dietary supplements on the market. It has recently been banned by the FDA and is no longer sold in the U.S. It acts as a stimulant, increasing metabolism to help burn fat.
Ephedra has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for nearly 5,000 years as a treatment for asthma, hay fever, and the common cold. It is both a stimulant and a thermogenic. It's effects are a result of the ephedrine and pseudoephedrine content of the plant. These compounds stimulate the brain, increase heart rate and blood pressure, and expand the bronchial tubes (making breathing easier).
The thermogenic properties cause an increase in metabolism which in turn causes an increase in body heat.
