The University of California yesterday (7 November) released the results of research into the herbal stimulant ephedra and issued a warning that it is, in some cases, lethal.

Used globally by millions for weight loss and bodybuilding, ephedra, or ma huang, has been found to have caused around 1,000 health complications, heart attacks, strokes and seizures and at least 54 deaths, all in otherwise healthy people.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

The US Food and Drug Administration is considering restricting the sale of the herb in health stores, where it is often packaged in products such as Ripped Fuel, Diet-Phen and Metabolife.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact