Contents

Page 1
Health Canada bans thermogenic supplements.
Low doses and bogus time limits.
Page 2
No caffeine allowed in ephedrine products.
Truthful speech banned!
Public citizen is pushing the same agenda.
Concluding remarks.

For more info on how ephedrine/caffeine works, see my illustrations in How ECA Works and check out my Thermogenic FAQ.

No Caffeine Allowed In Ephedrine Products

Health Canada is clearly aiming to exterminate effective obesity products. If ephedra/ephedrine products contain caffeine, they will be taken off the market: "All combination products containing Ephedra/ephedrine together with stimulants (e.g. caffeine) and other ingredients which might increase the effect of Ephedra/ephedrine in the body" (1).

Scientists add caffeine to ephedrine because this combination is capable of normalizing thermogenesis in obese people at low doses. Scientists have called this phenomenon a "supra-additive thermogenic synergism" (2). The addition of caffeine increases the thermogenic effect far more than it increases the stimulant effect. This remarkable discovery made it possible to normalize the thermogenic defect with low, minimally-stimulating doses -- and it is for exactly this reason that obesity scientists recommend the ephedrine/caffeine combination.

Only this combination -- not ephedrine by itself, or any other weight loss medicine -- is capable of fully correcting the thermogenic defect without excessive stimulation. Thus, ironically, the safety and effectiveness of the ephedrine/caffeine combination is the reason why obesity scientists recommend it:

"the ephedrine/caffeine combination is effective, while caffeine and ephedrine separately are ineffective for the treatment of human obesity" (3).

Removing caffeine from these products shows either a complete ignorance of the biochemistry of obesity, or a deliberate attempt to eliminate supplements that would compete with the upcoming prescription thermogenic drugs. Obese people should contact their political representatives and demand a formal investigation of this scandalous situation.

Good Libertarian food for thought: the entire contents of Dr. Mary J. Ruwarts excellent book, "Healing Our World: The Other Piece Of The Puzzle" is available online. And it's FREE! I don't know of the better deal or a better book. Check it out!

Truthful Speech Banned!

If you've read my Thermogenic FAQ, you know that there are literally decades of research supporting the use of thermogenic supplements for weight loss. Indeed, the evidence is so strong that in 1992 research scientists from all over the world held an international symposium to try to get the medical industry to use ephedrine/caffeine to help obese people. However, if Canadian companies want to sell the pathetically weak ephedrine supplements that are still allowed, Health Canada says they have to lie (by omission) and neglect to tell obese people that this could save their lives. If the companies tell you the truth, Health Canada will ban the product. Here are some things that can get a product banned:

"Ephedra/ephedrine products with labeled or implied claims for appetite suppression, weight loss promotion, metabolic enhancement, increased exercise tolerance, body-building effects, euphoria, increased energy or wakefulness, or other stimulant effects" (1).

So why would government regulators commit scientific fraud, force companies to lie, and scare obese people away from the one treatment that is actually proven to be safe and effective? The answer is simple: to protect the profits of the Beta-3 prescription thermogenic drugs that will be coming on the market. (See my Thermogenic FAQ for more information.) An FDA Dietary Task Force Report (June 15, 1993) was candid about the agency's motivation:

"The task force considered many issues in its deliberations including to ensure that the existence of dietary supplements on the market does not act as a disincentive for drug development."

Government regulators know what side of the bread has the butter -- regulators enjoy very lucrative revolving-door employment with the pharmaceutical companies. Is it any wonder why dietary supplements are treated as the enemy?

Public Citizen Is Pushing The Same Agenda

Now here's where it gets funny. (Well, if it weren't for hundreds of thousands of obese people dying every year it would be funny.) Apparently, Public Citizen, the "consumer advocacy" organization founded by Ralph Nader, is unaware of the decades of research and the international symposium on ephedrine/caffeine. Why do I say that? Because they are trying to rally the troops (the AMA and other  storm troopers) to get the FDA to ban thermogenic supplements. And Public Citizen is parroting the most dubious assertions of the anti-ephedrine camp: "Ephedrine alkaloid dietary supplements clearly pose a grave danger to their consumers, without providing any scientifically proven benefit" (7).

Can you believe that? Ephedrine/caffeine is the most researched obesity medication on the planet Earth and Public Citizen is saying it has no "scientifically proven benefit." Geez. They actually seem to think banning thermogenic supplements will help obese people: "...we hope the you are capable of adopting more pro-patient rather than pro-industry views on this important issue" (7).

Pro-industry? Gimme a break from the Karl Marx stuff, OK? Thermogenic supplements sell because they work! We're not stupid. We're not mindless victims in need of your 'protection.' Perhaps Public Citizen should read the medical journals or borrow a clue before running their mouths trying to ban thermogenic supplements. And you, dear reader, if you are tired of big government running roughshod over your life, perhaps you should join the Libertarian Party. They are the only political party that sincerely wants to get the government out of your private life. We do not have to live in fear of power hungry bureaucrats that want to take our supplements off the market. The solution is just a click away.

"All too, will bear in mind this sacred principal, . . . that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression."
-- Thomas Jefferson

Concluding Remarks

The smallest and most vulnerable minority in every country is the individual. Health Canada could have protected "the public" by simply providing accurate information so each individual citizen could make an educated decision. Instead, Health Canada chose a heavy-handed method of "protecting the public" -- and they were undeterred by the fact that it would hurt a lot of obese people. Their idea of "protecting the public" even includes lying to "the public" about the health benefits of ephedrine/caffeine.

A tree is known by the fruit it produces. History teaches us to be wary of those whose grandiose 'good deeds' involve dishonesty and hurting vulnerable individuals. It is hard to think of anything more evil than denying medicine to people who need it. But in light of Health Canada's demented collectivist altruism, I cannot help but wonder just where they would draw the line:

If Health Canada thought underpopulation was a problem, would they consider rape an altruistic act?

Is that not what they have done to obese people? Who will be chosen as the next sacrificial lamb by those who would use brute force instead of persuasion to make the world a better place?

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Written
Jan 2002
Last Update
Jan 2002

1.) Health Canada requests recall of certain products containing Ephedra/ephedrine ( Jan 9, 2000).

2.) 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.

3.) 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.

4.) The Ephedra Education Council Responds to Canada's Request for a Voluntary Recall of Ephedra Products (Jan 11, 2001).

5.) Molnar D; Torok K; Erhardt E, and Jeges S. "Safety and efficacy of treatment with an ephedrine/caffeine mixture. The first double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study in adolescents." Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord, 2000 Dec; Vol: 24; Number: 12; Page: 1573-8; PMID: 11126208.

6.) Jones, D "Highlights of the 1999 AHPA International Ephedra Symposium" Natural Products Industry Insider.

7.) Ardati, AK; Wolfe, SM. "Letter to American Medical Association urging their support of HRG petition to the FDA to ban dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids (HRG Publication #1604)" Public Citizen Website, Jan 17, 2002.

8.) Federal Register: June 4, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 107) Proposed Rules, Page 30677-30724.

9.) Re: Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis of the Proposed Rule for Dietary Supplements Containing Ephedrine Alkaloids  U.S. Small Business Administration, 62 Fed. Reg. 30,678 (June 4, 1997); Docket No. 95N-0304.

10.) Ephedra Education Council "Ephedra's safety and benefits confirmed" September 14, 2000.

FDA References

66.) Van Mieghem W; Stevens E, and Cosemans J. "Ephedrine-induced cardiopathy." Br Med J, 1978 Apr 1; Vol: 1; Number: 6116; Page: 816; PMID: 638463.

67.) To LB; Sangster JF; Rampling D, and Cammens I. "Ephedrine-induced cardiomyopathy." Med J Aust, 1980 Jul 12; Vol: 2; Number: 1; Page: 35-6; PMID: 7432264.

68.) Gaultieri J, and Harris C. "Dilated Cardiomyopathy in a Heavy Ephedrine Abuser." Journal of Toxicology, Clinical Toxicology, 1996; Vol: 34; Page: 581-2 [Abstract - not on PubMed].