Long used in Chinese medicine, Ephedra is an alkaloid chemical which also goes by the name of ma huang.

Ephedra has frequently been used in weight loss supplements, often combined with chemicals such as aspirin and caffeine. It does have some evidence to support its effectiveness for short-term weight loss, but due to large numbers of reported side effects, it is now illegal to use Ephedra in dietary supplements in the United States due to the health risks.

Nonetheless, it is still available via the internet, and people still take it. Before doing so you might want to consider some of the side effects of this powerful drug:

Severe skin reactions
Moodiness
Nervousness
Dizzy spells
Trembling and shaking
Headaches
Insomnia
Excessive sweating
Dehydration
Vomiting
Hyperthermia (overheating)
Irregular heartbeat
Seizures
Heart attack
Strokes
Death

That is as comprehensive and scary a list of side effects as you are ever likely to see, and should discourage anyone from being tempted to use this drug.

If you feel you need a supplement to kick start of support your weight loss, check out the many other products listed on the site which do not have such severe (and potentially fatal) side effects.