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Diet Info You Can Use Today

The ephedra controversy is at a fevered pitch. Metabadrine with ephedra was sold at hundreds of retail stores throughout the country. Now, the supply is so limited that only a couple of web sites can get it. The main site is GorillaVitamins.com.

Just in case you did not know, highly promoted drugs such as Meridia and Xenical are only available with a doctor's prescription. They are carefully regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, and their use is closely monitored by the prescribing doctor. Be very suspicious of companies selling them over the internet. Few, if any, are legitimate.

There are otc drugs that are available without a prescription, right in your local drugstore or supermarket. These are also regulated by the FDA. According to AnneCollins.com, "Products considered by FDA to be over-the-counter weight control drugs [as opposed to dietary supplements] are primarily those containing the active ingredient phenylpropanolamine (PPA)." In 2000, the FDA requested that drug manufacturers voluntary reformulate PPA-containing products in the wake of evidence that phenylpropanolamine can increase the risk of stroke, so there are few diet drugs on the market that still contain this ingredient. OTC drugs also fall under the jurisdiction of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

The third category is herbal diet supplements. This type of product is also available without a prescription. You'll typically find a huge variety of these in health food and nutrition stores, including GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, and Trader Joes, as well as in regular supermarkets. These herbal products are often labeled "all natural" and are considered by the FDA to be food products, not drugs. As such, they regulated differently from OTC drugs.

Purchasing ephedra products is a difficult task these days. An operation reminiscent of the Sopranos, selling fake Stacker 2, was uncovered presciently in New Jersey and New York.

Diet | Ephedra Products