Ephedra dietary supplements, an unregulated, multi-billion dollar industry, is in the spotlight. For years, critics have been saying that the supplement is dangerous and that it should be banned completely, including organizations such as the American Medical Association, the American Heart Association and the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Ephedra is an herbal supplement that speeds the heart and suppresses appetite, often resulting in jittery side effects, anxiety and restlessness, and has been linked to dozens of deaths over the past few years.

On Thursday, August 15, 2002, the Justice Department announced that it was investigating whether San Diego-based Metabolife lied about the safety of ephedra. And while Metabolife is the leading producer of the stimulant, there are a large number of copycat and ever more powerful products on the market today, including the popular Xenadrine from Cytodyne Technologies and TrimLife Original.

Sales of ephedra have slowed recently with the increase in negative publicity. However, thousands upon thousands of people are still taking ephedra-laced products, placing their health at risk.