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Contents Page 1 |
3.2 What About Cycling And Adrenal Exhaustion?You can read every single medical study on ECA and you won't find anything about cycling or adrenal exhaustion. Not a word. In a way, this situation is really rather funny and absurd. Although there is a ton of scientific research on ECA, bodybuilders and herbalists tend to put their own spin on the data, and most doctors are amazingly ignorant about anything that is not approved by the FDA. So, unless you read the medical research, it's almost impossible to separate the facts from the spin, hype, and political BS. Lets start with cycling. Once upon a time, bodybuilders found some fascinating
information about a drug called clenbuterol in animal science journals. They learned that
high doses of clenbuterol can build muscle and, since it directly stimulates the beta 2
adrenergic receptors, it even increases thermogenesis. Cycling clenbuterol was found to be
more effective for bulking up farm animals so, of course, What does this have to do with ECA? Not much, but since the drugs are similar in some respects, bodybuilders started cycling ECA. And, of course, a number of companies that try to maintain the appearance of being on the cutting edge also started to recommend that people "cycle" their thermogenic supplements. So, amazingly, obese people are being told to cycle ECA because of some studies with a different drug that bulked up farm animals. As you will see in "The Beta 3 Scandal" section of this post, techniques that are effective with clenbuterol are not such a good idea for obese people who use ECA. Meanwhile, some herbalists came up with a theory that thermogenic supplements stress the adrenal glands. Why? Well, thermogenic supplements cause the adrenal glands to release adrenaline. Of course, the exact same thing happens in response to the normal stress of daily living, and when you exercise, and when you eat a meal, and when you go outside in cold weather, etc., etc., etc. The adrenal glands certainly don't sound like wimps to me, but why ruin a good theory with facts? Still, it's a shame they came up with such a horrible name that generates an image of the adrenal glands getting worked to death. Poor ephedrine -- it doesn't even get a fair shake from people who advocate its use. |
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But when it comes to not being able to get a fair shake, obese people win the prize. Unfortunately the "adrenal exhaustion" theory also perpetuates prejudice against obese people because it ignores the fact that, in addition to subnormal noradrenaline release by the nerve endings of the sympathetic nervous system, obese people also release insufficient adrenaline from the adrenal medulla: "Another abnormality being noted with increasing frequency in human obesity is reduced adrenaline (Ad) levels in plasma, both at rest or in response to a stimulus such as physical activity" (17). By the way, this adrenaline deficiency persists even if you lose weight (18, 19-NA), setting the stage for the inevitable regain. Thus, although ECA causes the adrenal medulla to release more adrenaline, this is actually just bringing us up to a more normal level. Although some herb sellers talk about "stressing" the adrenals, the reality is that ECA merely normalizes this biochemical imbalance. At any rate, undaunted by the fact that obesity researchers have never found a single incidence of "adrenal exhaustion" in all their studies on ECA, the herbalists started selling a variety of herbs to "protect" your adrenals. By the way, the herbalists agree with the bodybuilders that you should cycle ECA. However, their "reasoning" is quite different -- the herbalists believe that you should cycle thermogenic supplements in order to "rest" your adrenals. Ugh! |
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1.) Astrup A and Toubro S "Thermogenic, metabolic, and cardiovascular responses to ephedrine and caffeine in man" Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1993, Vol 17 Suppl 1 Pg S41-3, PMID: 0008384179. 2.) Astrup A, Toubro S, Cannon S, Hein P, Madsen J "Thermogenic synergism between ephedrine and caffeine in healthy volunteers: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study" Metabolism 1991, Vol 40 (3), Pg 323-9, PMID: 0002000046. 3.) Toubro S, Astrup A, Breum L, Quaade F "The acute and chronic effects of ephedrine/caffeine mixtures on energy expenditure and glucose metabolism in humans" Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1993, Vol 17 Suppl 3 Pg S73-7; discussion S82. PMID: 0008124407. 4-BK.) Mowrey, Daniel B. Ph.D. "Fat Management : The Thermogenic Factor" Victory Publications, 1994. ISBN: 0-936261-07-2. 5.) Dulloo AG and Miller DS "Screening of drugs for thermogenic anti-obesity properties: antidepressants" Ann Nutr Metab 1987, Vol 31 (2), Pg 69-80, PMID: 0003592617. 6.) Dulloo AG and Miller DS "Thermogenic drugs for the treatment of obesity: sympathetic stimulants in animal models" Br J Nutr 1984, Vol 52 (2), Pg 179-96, PMID: 0006477859. 7.) Massoudi M, Evans E, Miller DS "Thermogenic drugs for the treatment of obesity: screening using obese rats and mice" Ann Nutr Metab 1983, Vol 27 (1), Pg 26-37, PMID: 0006830140. 8.) Dulloo, AG "Ephedrine, xanthines and prostaglandin-inhibitors: actions and interactions in the stimulation of thermogenesis." Int J Obes 1993 Feb, Vol 17 (Suppl 1), Pg S35-40, PMID: 0008384178. 9.) Liu YL, Toubro S, Astrup A, Stock MJ "Contribution of beta 3-adrenoceptor activation to ephedrine-induced thermogenesis in humans" Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1995 Sep, Vol 19 (9), Pg 678-85, PMID: 0008574280. 10.) Toubro S, Astrup A, Breum L, Quaade F "The acute and chronic effects of ephedrine/caffeine mixtures on energy expenditure and glucose metabolism in humans." Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1993 Dec, Vol 17 (Suppl 3), Pg S73-7; discussion S82, PMID: 0008124407. 11-NA.) Dulloo AG and Stock MJ "Ephedrine in the treatment of obesity" Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1993, Vol 17 Suppl 1 Pg S1-2, PMID: 0008384172. 12.) Dulloo AG, Duret C, Rohrer D, Girardier L, Mensi N, Fathi M, Chantre P, Vandermander J "Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans" Am J Clin Nutr 1999, Vol 70 (6), Pg 1040-5. PMID: 0010584049. 13.) Astrup A, Breum L, Toubro S, Hein P, Quaade F "The effect and safety of an ephedrine/caffeine compound compared to ephedrine, caffeine and placebo in obese subjects on an energy restricted diet. A double blind trial" Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1992, Vol 16 (4), Pg 269-77. PMID: 0001318281. 14.) Breum L, Pedersen JK, Ahlstrom F, and Frimodt-Moller J. "Comparison of an ephedrine/caffeine combination and dexfenfluramine in the treatment of obesity. A double-blind multi-centre trial in general practice." Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1994 Feb, 18(2):99-103, PMID: 0008148931. 15.) Lazarou J, Pomeranz BH, and Corey PN. "Incidence of adverse drug reactions in hospitalized patients: a meta- analysis of prospective studies." JAMA. 1998 Apr 15; 279(15):1200-5, PMID: 0009555760. 16-NA.) "Alternative medicine--how safe is it? [editorial]" Adverse Drug React Toxicol Rev 1998 Nov, Vol 17 (4), Pg 205-7, PMID: 10196625. 17.) Young JB and Macdonald IA. "Sympathoadrenal activity in human obesity: heterogeneity of findings since 1980." Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1992 Dec; 16(12):959-67, PMID: 0001335975. 18.) Bryde Andersen H, Raben A, Astrup A, Christensen NJ "Plasma adrenaline concentration is lower in post-obese than in never- obese women in the basal state, in response to sham-feeding and after food intake" Clin Sci (Colch) 1994, Vol 87 (1), Pg 69-74. PMID: 0008062522. 19-NA.) Andersen HB, Raben A, Astrup A, Christensen NJ "Plasma adrenaline increases during sham-feeding in normal subjects but not in post-obese women" Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1993, Vol 17 Suppl 3 Pg S96; discussion S97. PMID: 0008124413. 20.) Curran PK and Fishman PH "Endogenous beta 3- but not beta 1-adrenergic receptors are resistant to agonist-mediated regulation in human SK-N-MC neurotumor cells" Cell Signal 1996, Vol 8 (5), Pg 355-64, PMID: 0008911684. 21.) Langin D, Tavernier G, Lafontan M "Regulation of beta 3-adrenoceptor expression in white fat cells" Fundam Clin Pharmacol 1995, Vol 9 (2), Pg 97-106, PMID: 0007628838. 22.) Lipworth BJ "Clinical pharmacology of beta 3-adrenoceptors" Br J Clin Pharmacol 1996, Vol 42 (3), Pg 291-300, PMID: 0008877018. 23.) Nantel F, Bouvier M, Strosberg AD, Marullo S "Functional effects of long-term activation on human beta 2- and beta 3- adrenoceptor signalling" Br J Pharmacol 1995, Vol 114 (5), Pg 1045-51, PMID: 0007780639. 24.) Dulloo AG and Miller DS "The thermogenic properties of ephedrine/methylxanthine mixtures: human studies" Int J Obes 1986, Vol 10 (6), Pg 467-81, PMID: 0003804564. 25-NA.) Pasquali R and Casimirri F "Clinical aspects of ephedrine in the treatment of obesity" Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1993, Vol 17 Suppl 1 Pg S65-8, PMID: 0008384185. 26.) Astrup A, Lundsgaard C, Madsen J, Christensen NJ "Enhanced thermogenic responsiveness during chronic ephedrine treatment in man" Am J Clin Nutr 1985, Vol 42 (1), Pg 83-94, PMID: 0004014068. |
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bodybuilders started cycling
clenbuterol.
