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January 2, 2004 Under The KnifeThe Ephedra Ban
Earlier this week, the Federal government banned products containing ephedra, the dietary supplement which was linked to the death of former-Orioles' pitcher Steve Bechler last spring. This ban gives athletes, trainers, and anyone else currently using products containing ephedra 60 days to clear out their inventory and rebuild around products containing other thermogenic agents. And yet, while the ban is intended to keep people from using ephedra, products containing the dietary supplement are already flying off the shelves in some areas. The reason? Because despite its pitfalls, products containing ephedra are still very effective at helping individuals lose weight. That said, ephedra is not the only thermogenic agent. The pill that Bechler took, Xenadrine RFA, was removed from the market voluntarily by its manufacturer and replaced with a similar product that did not contain ephedra. In fact, on the Xenadrine webpage, the manufacturer states that the new product is more effective without ephedra. What, then is powering this 'more effective' thermogenic? According to the manufacturer: Tyroplex™ (proprietary blend of l-tyrosine and acetyl-l-tyrosine), Green Tea Extract (standardized for epigallocatechin gallate, caffeine, and polyphenols), Seropro™ (proprietary cocoa extract standardized for PEA (phenylethylamine), tyramine and theobromine), Yerba Mate (standardized for caffeine and methylxanthines), di-Methionine, Ginger Root (standardized for gingerols), Isotherm™ (proprietary blend of 3,3',4',5-7 pentahydroxyflavone and 3,3',4',7-tetrahydroxy-flavone), Bitter Orange (standardized for synephrine, n-methyltyramine, hordenine, octopamine, and tyramine), DMAE (2-dimethylaminoethanol), Grape Seed Extract (standardized for catechins).While the manufacturer quotes from a National Institute of Health study when discussing its products, I could find no in-depth study of the active ingredients in the new formula Xenadrine. I have no doubt, however, that while we may not see any ephedra in the lockers or GNCs next spring, we'll likely be able to find a bit more Green Tea Extract and NoDoz than makes me comfortable. What the government has done is take the easy way out, a step that may cause more problems than it solves. While Steve Bechler's father may rest better knowing that no one else will die from ephedra abuse, we have done nothing substantive to keep others from suffering heat-related deaths. If the next pitcher who shows up for camp overweight thinks taking a non-ephedra thermogenic is safer because it's not on a banned substances list, I hope the tide of circumstances that caused Bechler's death do not occur again. The answer is not prohibition. Instead, it is education. Every one of the points I made last February in this article holds true today. If banning ephedra is necessary, we should go ahead and ban all thermogenic agents. But if we're not going to do that, a lot more good could be done with education, full physicals by independent physicians, and proper acclimatization. As well, players should take responsibility for their own bodies, coming to camp in shape, maintaining their health, and knowing the rules for what they choose to ingest. For a more eloquent defense, I recommend reading this excellent Reason essay by Jacob Sullum. His breakdown of the risk factors of other drugs and the mention of 'the constellation' of factors that led to Bechler's death is the best story I've seen on the subject. -- Now for some notes...
I'll be back as events warrant, but remember you can catch me every Saturday on Baseball Prospectus Radio. We'll be talking with our man in the Dominican, Carlos Lugo, this Saturday, so be sure to check it out. 0 comments have been left for this article.
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