Quick Navigation

Ephedrine

Ephedrine is one of the four active components of the herb Ephedra. It is able to induce fat loss via increasing the amount of fat available for fuel as well as by increasing heat expenditure. It has been implicated in increasing the metabolic rate by up to 5% in humans. It has also been noted to cause serious side-effects in some instances, and its legal status varies by region.

Our evidence-based analysis on ephedrine features 98 unique references to scientific papers.

Kamal Patel
Research analysis led by .
Reviewed by
Examine.com Team
Last Updated:
NEW: Our free Coronavirus guide to staying healthy (and sane) while stuck indoors

Summary of Ephedrine

Primary information, health benefits, side effects, usage, and other important details

Examine.com special safety warning on ephedrine and ephedra products:
While dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids have been used with an acceptable margin of safety and efficacy by many individuals, they can be downright dangerous for those with certain underlying medical conditions. A number of case reports have implicated ephedrine alkaloids as the cause of serious adverse health effects in isolated individuals- including but not limited to heart attack, stroke, seizures, and even death.[1] It should also be noted that supplements ephedrine alkaloids are currently banned in the United States.&spreference; Any decision to use ephedrine or ephedra products should be made in close consultation with your personal physician.

Ephedrine (ih-fed-rin) is one of the four active components of the herb Ephedra. It is able to induce fat loss via increasing the amount of fat available for fuel as well as by increasing heat expenditure. It has been implicated in increasing the metabolic rate by up to 5% in humans.

Ephedrine also interacts with muscle cells, increasing heat expenditure in them as well as fat cells. It can also prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue to a small degree.

Ephedrine is highly synergistic with caffeine, and for this reason is commonly found in something called an ECA stack (Ephedrine, Caffeine, and Aspirin).

Side effects include an increase in blood pressure that goes away with cessation and increases in some blood parameters (glucose, insulin) that also go away with cessation of use. It has been reported to be a hyperstimulant when taken in doses above what is recommended.

Ephedrine is well studied and a fairly reliable compound for short- to medium-term weight loss (less than 6 months) and mild performance improvements, usually in trained individuals. However, it does not work under all situations; longer-term weight loss and effects in untrained individuals have not been studied much and sometimes produce negative results. While it has been implicated in weight reduction independent of exercise and diet changes, efficacy is maximized with minimal side-effects when ephedrine is combined with diet and exercise.

Make sure you only take supplements that work

Examine.com bases all of its recommendations on published scientific research. We’re a trusted resource because we don’t sell or even advertise supplements.

If you’re tired of wasting time and money on supplements that don’t work, our 17 Supplement Guides will help you figure out precisely what to take — and what to skip — based on your health goals and the latest scientific evidence. There’s a reason why over 50,000 customers rely on Examine.com’s independent and unbiased analysis.

Includes free lifetime updates so you always have the most accurate information.


I want unbiased recommendations to improve my health »

How to Take

Medical Disclaimer

Recommended dosage, active amounts, other details

All Doses Standardized to Ephedrine HCl

In an ECA stack, ephedrine is dosed at 20-24mg for three doses taken throughout the day.

Human studies have found success with ephedrine in isolation on fat metabolism with doses of 20-50mg thrice a day. The higher range (150mg) may be too stimulatory for some, and can induce headaches or light hand tremors.

Ephedrine tends to be consumed with xanthine compounds like caffeine and sometimes with Aspirin. The combination of Ephedrine and caffeine is shown repeatedly to be highly synergistic.

Get the latest information on 400+ supplements and their effects on 600+ health conditions & outcomes.

By becoming an Examine Plus member, you'll have access to all of the latest nutrition research. Quickly and easily look up scientific research on over 400 supplements across over 600 different health goals, outcomes, conditions, and more.

Human Effect Matrix

Unlocked for Examine Plus members

The Human Effect Matrix summarizes human studies to tell you what effects Ephedrine has on your body, how much evidence there is, and how strong these effects are.

Full details are available to Examine Plus members.
Grade Level of Evidence
Robust research conducted with repeated double-blind clinical trials
Multiple studies where at least two are double-blind and placebo controlled
Single double-blind study or multiple cohort studies
Uncontrolled or observational studies only
Level of Evidence
? The amount of high quality evidence. The more evidence, the more we can trust the results.
Outcome Magnitude of effect
? The direction and size of the supplement's impact on each outcome. Some supplements can have an increasing effect, others have a decreasing effect, and others have no effect.
Consistency of research results
? Scientific research does not always agree. HIGH or VERY HIGH means that most of the scientific research agrees.
Notes
grade-b
Fat Mass
Notable Very High See all 4 studies
It is thought that most weight lost with ephedrine administration is due to fat mass, due to a slight muscle preserving effect; studies that note reductions in fat mass support this hypothesis
grade-b
Metabolic Rate
Notable Very High See all 6 studies
Ephedrine, secondary to the stimulatory properties, appears to reliably increased metabolic rate
grade-b
Weight
Notable High See all 10 studies
Ephedrine tends to result in reliable weight loss over time relative to control (assuming calories are held equal), which is mostly due to a loss of body fat
grade-b
Blood Pressure
Minor Low See all 5 studies
There may be an acute increase in blood pressure seen with ephedrine intake, although this does not appear to be overly reliable; long-term usage of ephedrine does not seem to alter blood pressure, and may reduce it secondary to weight loss
grade-b
Heart Rate
Minor Moderate See all 5 studies
An increase in heart rate is present following ephedrine administration which correlates well with its psychostimulatory properties; this is not 100% reliable, and heart rate increases may not occur
grade-c
Nasal Congestion
Notable Very High See 2 studies
Ephedrine appears to result in notable nasal decongestion
grade-c
HDL-C
Minor Very High See 2 studies
An increase in HDL-C has been noted with ingestion of ephedrine, may be confounded with weight loss also seen in the trials
grade-c
LDL-C
Minor - See study
A decrease in LDL-C has been noted to be associated with ephedrine, although this may be confounded with weight loss (also seen in the trials)
grade-c
Skeletal Muscle Atrophy
Minor - See study
May decrease the rate of skeletal muscle breakdown over time
grade-c
Subjective Well-Being
Minor - See study
Appears to increase well being acutely following the first doses of ephedrine, secondary to the psychostimulatory effects
grade-c
Triglycerides
Minor Very High See 2 studies
There appears to be a decrease in triglycerides over time with ephedrine ingestion, which may be due to either the fat burning effects of ephedrine or the weight loss that tends to ensue
grade-c
Power Output
- - See study
No significant influence on power output with standard oral doses of ephedrine (higher doses may influence power output, but this is not well researched)
grade-d
Appetite
Minor - See study
A decrease in appetite following ephedrine intake is noted and thought to be secondary to its psychostimulatory effects
grade-d
Nausea
- See study
Ephedrine has been noted to reduce postoperative nausea, but is also linked to inducing nausea secondary to its psychostimulatory and appetite suppressing effects. The latter is more practical for supplementation

Studies Excluded from Consideration

Become an Examine Plus member to access the latest nutrition research on over 400 supplements across over 600 different health goals, outcomes, conditions, and more.

Becoming an Examine Plus member not only unlocks the Human Effect Matrix for supplements, but also all health topics on Examine.com. We neatly summarize all the latest research so you can make the best decisions for your health based on what's accurate and not out-dated information.

Frequently Asked Questions and Articles on Ephedrine

Do I need to cycle ephedrine?
Surprisingly, ephedrine does not appear to need cycling for the fat burning aspect of it (it may for neurological stimulation and appetite suppression). If using an ECA stack, however, the caffeine may need to be cycled
Read full answer to "Do I need to cycle ephedrine?"

Things to Note

Is a Form Of

Other Functions:

Primary Function:

Also Known As

Ephedra Vulgaris, Ephedraceae, ma huang

Do Not Confuse With

Ephedrone, Epinephrine

Goes Well With

Methylxanthines such as caffeine and theophylline (a component of green tea)

Caution Notice

Ephedrine can also increase dopamine levels in the brain, and caution should be taken pairing ephedrine with MAOIs such as yohimbine.

Ephedrine should only be used under the supervision of a Medical Doctor, especially if pre-existing cardiac complications exist, due to potentially serious adverse effects.

The legal status of ephedrine varies by country and is a banned substance by certain sports agencies.

  • Ephedrine is highly stimulatory, and the plant (Ephedra) more-so.

Tired of misinformation? Get unbiased info on supplements.

At Examine.com, our incentives line up with yours — getting unbiased information. It’s why we don’t sell any advertising or supplements.

Join over 250,000 people who’ve learned about effective versus overrated supplements, supplement buying tips, and how to combine supplements for safety and efficacy.

Research Breakdown on Ephedrine

1Sources and Structure

1.1Composition (Ephedra)

1.2Ephedrine (Ephedrine Alkaloids)

1.3Properties

2Pharmacology

2.1Digestion and Absorption

2.2Systemic

3Neurology

3.1Sensitivity

4Fat Mass and Obesity

4.1Mechanisms

4.2Metabolic Rate and Oxygen consumption

4.3Longterm Human Interventions on Fat Loss

5Exercise Performance and Skeletal Muscle

5.1Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy

5.2Power Output

5.3Physical endurance

6Interactions with Hormones

6.1Estrogen

7Cardiovascular Interactions

7.1Blood Pressure

7.2Heart Rate and Cardiac Health

7.3Cardiotoxicity and Overdose

7.4Lipoproteins and Triglycerides

8Nutrient-Nutrient Interactions

8.1ECA stack

8.2Nicotine

9Safety and Toxicity

9.1Safety and Toxicity within Recommended Dosage Range

9.2Case studies

9.3Legality
Click here to see all 98 references.

This page is regularly updated, to include the most recently available clinical trial evidence.

Each member of our research team is required to have no conflicts of interest, including with supplement manufacturers, food companies, and industry funders. The team includes nutrition researchers, registered dietitians, physicians, and pharmacists. We have a strict editorial process.

This page features 98 references. All factual claims are followed by specifically-applicable references. Click here to see the full set of research information and references for Ephedrine.

Examine.com is intended to be used for educational and information purposes only. Examine.com and its Editors do not advocate nutritional supplementation over proper medical advice or treatment and this sentiment will never be expressed through pages hosted under Examine.com. If using any pharmaceuticals or drugs given to you by a doctor or received with a prescription, you must consult with the doctor in question or an equally qualified Health Care Professional prior to using any nutritional supplementation. If undergoing medical therapies, then consult with your respective Therapist or Health Care Professional about possible interactions between your Treatment, any Pharmaceuticals or Drugs being given, and possible nutritional supplements or practices hosted on Examine.com.

Examine.com does not assume liability for any actions undertaken after visiting these pages, and does not assume liability if one misuses supplements. Examine.com and its Editors do not ensure that unforeseen side effects will not occur even at the proper dosages, and thereby does not assume liability for any side effects from supplements or practices hosted under the domain of Examine.com.

Supplements

Articles

Health Topics

NERD

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify.

About

Never miss an update!

Your e-mail is safe with us. We don’t share personal data.