|
Caffeine
and Ephedra Before Workout Tax Heart
People who consume ephedra and caffeine before they exercise
alter their cardiovascular system, placing greater demands
on their heart, says a South Dakota State University study.
The combination of ephedra and caffeine increases hypersensitive
response before, during and after exercise, and increases
systolic blood pressure before exercise. That higher rate
pressure results in more work for the heart.
The findings were presented at the Experimental Biology
meeting in San Diego in April 2003.
The study included five men and five women who were given
either 150 milligrams of caffeine and 20 milligrams of ephedra
or a placebo. They were then monitored while at rest, during
exercise and after exercise.
The people who took the caffeine/ephedra had higher hypertensive
response after 60 minutes of rest. That response remained
higher at 30 and 60 minutes of exercise. The people who
took the caffeine/ephedra also had higher systolic blood
pressure while they were resting and had higher mean arterial
pressure.
Ephedra is a controversial herb marketed as an energy booster
and weight loss aid. It's been linked to almost 100 deaths,
including high school, college and professional athletes
who have collapsed during games or practice.
Here's where you can learn more about ephedra.
Article Source: HealthDay
Article Author: N/A
Net Reference 101
|
