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Concerning ephedra alkaloids for weight loss

International Journal of Obesity volume 31, page 1481 (2007)Cite this article

The paper, ‘Multinutrient supplement containing ephedra and caffeine causes weight loss and improves metabolic risk factors in obese women: a randomized controlled trial’, by Hackman et al.,1 is difficult to interpret for a number of reasons. The title of the paper, introductory statements and conclusions all suggest that the study is controlled for the inclusion of ephedra and caffeine. However, examination of the many differences between the control and treatment supplements (Table 2) shows that this is not the case. In particular, only the treatment supplement provided 2000 mg per day of Garcinia cambogia extract. The authors note that G. cambogia extract contains (−)-hydroxycitric acid (HCA), and cite reference to a human study in which HCA caused a 15–30% decrease in energy intake. A study by Mattes and Bormann2, using a product that provided 1200 mg/day of HCA in a randomized, double-blind design (approximating the dose in the Hackman study), demonstrated increased weight loss in overweight female human subjects. Weight loss over the 12-week study was 3.7±3.1 kg in the treatment group and 2.4±2.9 kg for placebo subjects; the difference of 1.3 kg was statistically significant (P=0.026). The difference in weight loss between treated and control patients in the Hackman study for the first 12 weeks averaged 2.1 kg; thus, HCA could have accounted for approximately 60% of that weight loss.

Another potential weakness in the paper is that the treatment group had a significantly greater average baseline body weight than the placebo group (by 4.3 kg; P<0.05), and a greater average baseline caloric intake (1930 kcal for treated and 1580 kcal for controls; P=0.005). The importance of baseline weight and intake in relation to body weight loss is obvious.

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References

  1. Hackman RM, Havel PJ, Schwartz HJ, Rutledge JC, Watnik MR, Noceti EM et al. Multinutrient supplement containing ephedra and caffeine causes weight loss and improves metabolic risk factors in obese women: a randomized controlled trial. Int J Obes 2006; 30: 1545–1556.

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  2. Mattes RD, Bormann L . Effects of (−) hydroxycitric acid on appetitive variables. Physiol Behav 2000; 71: 87–94.

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  3. Palpitiations. From, American College of Physicians website: http://www.acpmedicine.com.accessed 5 October 2006.

  4. Abbott AV . Diagnostic approach to palpitations. Am Fam Physician 2005; 71: 743–750.

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  5. United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit; No. 05-4151; Re. Nutraceutical Corporation v. Andrew Von Eschenbach, Acting Commissioner, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, etc. Available at: http://www.casewatch.org/fda/court/ephedra/utah2.shtml. Accessed 10 October 2006.

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  1. Department of Pharmacology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA

    Mario A Inchiosa Jr

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  1. Mario A Inchiosa Jr
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Inchiosa, M. Concerning ephedra alkaloids for weight loss. Int J Obes 31, 1481 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803574

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