Ma huang

Ephedra/Nutrient Depletion:

  • GlucoseGlucose: In human research, ephedrine alone or coadministered with caffeine has been associated with hyperglycemia (75; 73; 66). In other human research, ephedrine has also increased glucose levels both before and after exercise (99). In contrast, crude extracts of Ephedra distachya have elicited hypoglycemia in normal and diabetic mice (74).
  • LipidsLipids: In human research, coadministration of ephedra (e.g., ephedrine alkaloids) and caffeine (e.g., guarana, Kola nut) decreased LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and increased HDL cholesterol (73; 70).
  • PotassiumPotassium: Theoretically, ephedra may lower serum potassium levels.