The granddaddy of them all, ephedrine alkaloids, in whatever form (Ma Huang, ephedrine HCL, Sida Cordifolia), have been the basis for the most popular and effective fat loss formulas of all time. Ephedrine is an agonist of alpha and beta-adrenergic receptors (adrenoceptors), similar in its actions to adrenaline. It causes thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and skeletal muscle by way of its potent sympathomimetic stimulation (it activates the sympathetic nervous system), which results in large releases of noradrenaline. The result is an increase in energy expenditure caused by the oxidation of fat (causing a large increase in oxygen consumption). Although ephedrine bashing has become fashionable, for the most part, this is without sound justification. Obviously, there are individuals to whom ephedrine alkaloids do present a hazard, but it could be argued that flying, intense exercise or sex with a female bodybuilder offers an even greater risk. Most of the problems witnessed with ephedrine are from recreational use, as many individuals find it hard to admit that they have a problem with this. Unfortunately, as the body rapidly develops a greater tolerance, athletes using it for a pre-workout buzz often end up using huge dosages to obtain the original effect. A big issue with utilising Ma Huang (Ephedra) in a formula is obtaining consistent quality. There are numerous species of the herb Ephedra, all with different levels of ephedrine alkaloids, i.e. ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, norephedrine, norpseudoephedrine, methylephedrine and methyl-pseudoephedrine. Ephedrine itself usually accounts for between 30 and 90% of the total alkaloids present. However, alkaloid levels and ratios can even vary within the same species, dependent on such factors as time of harvest, soil quality, weather conditions and even the altitude at which it is grown. An example of this can be seen with Ephedra sinica (the commonest form used), where the cultivated form has lower alkaloid content than that of its wild counterpart. Can this degree of variation make a difference? You bet! The thermogenic activity of ephedrine and norephedrine have become well established, the other analogues are either controlled (norpseudoephedrine), carry serious health risks or are relatively inactive (the methyl isomers have very little impact on beta adrenoceptors). In the States, the FDA has now pulled the plug on norephedrine (phenylpropanolamine or PPA). The final nail in its coffin was a five-year study at Yale that linked PPA use to strokes in young women. Although several other reports have pointed the finger at PPA, this particular one is not short of a few flaws. For example, the report stated that more women suffered strokes after taking appetite suppressants than cold remedies. As the cold remedies contain far higher dosages of PPA than appetite suppressants, this tends to indicate that: A. Those using the appetite suppressants were most likely to be in a very questionable state of health. B. There was more abuse amongst those using appetite suppressants, a typical scenario amongst this sector of the public. Those fat burning products that are based on PPA typically use 20-25 mg per dosage (two dosages per day). Several OTC cold medications utilise daily dosages of around 150 mg! Was PPA more thermogenic than ephedrine? Who knows, -most users never claim to notice any anecdotal evidence of this. The existing studies were performed with mice and rats; the BAT-related thermogenic effect is more relevant to rodents than humans. In humans, skeletal muscle thermogenesis is very important to the success of the mechanism. However, there are those who prefer PPA because it suppresses appetite without any of the excitation experienced with ephedrine (*). Ironically, switching to Sida in order to avoid the legislation and bad publicity that has hounded Ma Huang has resulted in the wiser choice being made anyway. For example, L-PPA (1R, 2S Norephedrine, -the more active isomer of PPA) can represent up to 20% of Sida cordifolia’s alkaloid content. Also, this herb has demonstrated anti-obesity effects that cannot solely be attributed to its ephedrine alkaloid content, -a content which regular analysis has revealed to be comparatively more consistent than ephedra’s over the harvesting period. Although methanol extractions of the root possess significant hypoglycaemic effect; the seed extract yields an alkaloid content that will literally blow your socks off; CNP’s Sida Cordifolia is a proprietary blend of both materials