Supplement usage...

[LASD 2 BE 2009]

I have a quick question about supplement usage. Would any of these raise any issues?

CLA - an amino acid
Caffeine - obviously a Stimulant
Green Tea Extract - I'm sure a non issue
Ephedrine - Legal to purchase but legal to use as a supplement?

This is something that many of the trainers I've worked with have had me take, in the fitness world it's considered an EC stack, sometimes paired up with aspirin to be an ECA stack. Any potential for problems with this?

[SnapShawt]

Those are all things found in every energy drink out there, all four ingredients, in some cases with the absence of ephedrine and in some not. None of those should raise any eyebrows. I usually have one or two of them just about every night. Love those Java Monsters (the Mean Bean flavor)!

[SnapShawt]

On a further note, be aware that everything raises eyebrows in certain quantities. If you're consuming MASSIVE amounts, then sure that would look very strange. But taking vitamin and energy supplements in reasonable quantities is not out of the norm.

[LASD 2 BE 2009]

I'm confused a little about the ephedrine because I have always bought it by buying primatene tablets...which obviously isn't it's intended use. Are there issues with using an over the counter medicine for something other than it's intended use, like this, in a weight loss stack?

[LASD 2 BE 2009]

Usages are 200mg of caffeine (less than most energy drinks)
25 mg of Ephedrine (two of the primatene tabs, max on package says 8 per day)
2 green tea extract pills (from GNC)
1 CLA pill (from GNC)

This is the mix I take twice a day, I cycle it for 3 weeks on, 2 weeks off only during times of stagnant weight loss or plateauing.

[Jennifer]

I believe you need to be careful of ephedrine. You don't want to use too much

[Roger Dat]

I think u need to worry more about long term health concerns with these supplements not it effecting your hiring status. Ephedrine is not good for you and caffeine is a dihretic (sp). Check with your doctor.

[LASD 2 BE 2009]

I've discussed it with my doctor and I definitely appreciate that suggestion because it's obviously a concern. As far as the caffeine, I have to drink about 120 oz. of water a day to stay hydrated but it's effective. Any ideas about OTC meds being used for unintended purposes?

[LASD 2 BE 2009]

I don't think it's an issue because so many people take aspirin for heart disease now...obviously not it's original intended purpose, but I could be grasping for straws here.

[Roger Dat]

I am not a huge body building guru but i do like to stay in shape so take this with a grain of salt but I dont see anything your taking as giving you a significant edge physically. If you want to get into LE, working out supplement free and staying in shape is the healthy way to go.

[Samuel]

I have a quick question about supplement usage. Would any of these raise any issues?

CLA - an amino acid
Caffeine - obviously a Stimulant
Green Tea Extract - I'm sure a non issue
Ephedrine - Legal to purchase but legal to use as a supplement?

This is something that many of the trainers I've worked with have had me take, in the fitness world it's considered an EC stack, sometimes paired up with aspirin to be an ECA stack. Any potential for problems with this?

What did the LASD pre-employment/background unit(s) say when you asked them?

[Creeker]

I don't think it's an issue because so many people take aspirin for heart disease now...obviously not it's original intended purpose, but I could be grasping for straws here.

Yeah, but as one who is now taking Low Dose Aspirin daily... not for heart disease, but for Cholesterol/stroke concerns, the LD aspirin is 81 mg.

Something I've noticed... I bleed much easier than I ever used to... which you may want to be concerned about with an active "bump and rumble" lifestyle... and it is a blood thinner... which means it won't stop as easily.

Primetene Tabs? I keep a few around just because my old Asthma flares up every so often, but I couldn't handle taking the quantities you are taking.

When I was in High School, at the height of my asthma trouble, I'd only take one prior to a Football Game as a preventative measure... of course I think that was a different formulation back in the 70's.

[DeltaV]

It is against FDA regulations to sell dietary supplements containing ephedrine, although it is legal to purchase certain quantities of ephedrine for other purposes. All ephedrine based supplements have been removed from the market. Considering that you're obviously trying to circumvent the law it could pose a problem depending on what the agency's policies are, even though ephedrine is not illegal to possess.

Obviously the FDA banned ephedrine supplements for a reason. No matter what your personal trainer said, there are lots of people who are a lot smarter and more qualified who say that those ECA stackers are dangerous.

[retdetsgt]

I agree with Roger Dat. I worked out my whole career and made an effort to stay in shape. I never used a supplement of any kind and saw no need to.

None of that stuff is really good for you and isn't going to really be of any benefit in the long run. Having a caffeine or ephedrine rush doesn't make you a better anything.

[noelchabanel]

Note: Primatene is EPINEPHRINE, Not ephedrine. They are different drugs with similar effects.

Long Answer:
Primatene may be over the counter, but that doesn't make it comparable to aspirin. I took a class on drugs of abuse--which of course doesn't make me a pharmacist or anything--but I'll share what I learned about epinephrine in that class. It has more side effects than a lot of prescription asthma medications, like albuterol, isn't as effective for asthma (doctors don't even prescribe it for asthma anymore), and some people even think it should be banned. It can be a drug of abuse, and it elevates the heart rate (a lot), raises blood pressure, and can exacerbate or even cause heart problems when overused at any age. Working out in that condition sounds just plain stupid to me.

And I will also add that even aspirin isn't totally harmless. I had a good friend who may have died at 53 from taking aspirin daily along with occasional diuretic pills without a doctor's blessing. I say "may" because there was no autopsy, so they don't know for sure. He had a pre-existing metabolic disease and ended up with kidney failure.

Short Answer:

Flush the pills.

Usually people have heart attacks because they are far too overweight, not because they are exercising and getting in shape.