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I Wouldn't Take Tommy Thompson's Medical
Advice, Would You?
By Mike Ferguson
When liberty and emotions like fear collide, liberty often
loses. Working to protect personal freedom becomes more difficult when tragic
events, no matter how isolated and unusual, cause an emotional reaction that
leads some people to turn to government to "do something!".
A case in point is the recent death of Baltimore Orioles' pitcher Steve
Belcher. The 23 year-old died after collapsing from heat exhaustion during a
spring training workout. Belcher's use of an over-the-counter ephedra-based
sports supplement is being mentioned as contributing to the death. The media has
responded by demonizing all ephedra-based supplements and the government is
again talking about banning the product.
When asked about ephedra as a supplement, US Secretary of Health and Human
Services Tommy Thompson rhetorically asked reporters "I wouldn't use it, would
you?". He then went on to say that the FDA is considering a ban on the product.
Here is my answer: Yes, Mr. Thompson, I would. In fact, I regularly use
nutritional supplements that contain ephedra products. My health is better for
it, too. I use the supplements responsibly and only after I researched them. I
do not need the government to keep me healthy.
In the attempt to justify greater regulations over nutritional supplements,
especially over ephedra-based products, the FDA points to the estimated 100
deaths and 1,178 cases of adverse side effects linked to ephedra supplements
last year. Keep in mind that millions of packages of these products were
sold and consumed last year. While 100 deaths is a sad statistic, it is
important to understand what ephedra actually is, based on scientific research.
Ephedra is a plant, an herb. It is the source for the ephedrine alkaloids
used in today's popular weight loss products. Most of the time, the stimulant
effect the government complains about is due to the inclusion of caffeine in the
products. This combination causes thermogenesis - a slight increase in
the body's internal temperature which helps burn more fat calories while
preserving muscle mass. However, an estimated 75% of the fat loss is caused by
curbing the consumer's appetite, the remaining 25% is from the actual
thermogenesis. Ephedrine is a stimulant, but the body adapts to it and this
effect generally wears off over the course of a few weeks to a couple of months,
provided that the consumer continues to take only the recommended amount.
An important note regarding the Steve Belcher case is the Fox News report
that Belcher is said to have regularly taken three capsules of his chosen
supplement each morning. I checked the nutritional information and warning label
on that product just a few hours before writing this: the clearly-marked dosage
is set at two capsules. Belcher is said to have regularly ingested 33% too much
of the product. With all due respect to the gravity of Mr. Belcher's case,
should his mistake (if the ephedra products are eventually determined to have a
role in the death) mean the erosion of my freedom over my health?
Amid all the negative media coverage and misleading statements from
government regulators is the question "why?". Why would anyone use this product?
I'll tell you why I use it: It improves my personal health. I should not
lose the right to use any nutritional supplement simply because someone else has
or may abuse that product. Of course, not everyone should use ephedra products.
In fact, there is a slight risk of some side effects for people with existing
health conditions. It is up to individuals to read warning labels, find the
research on the products and if necessary ask their doctors about using the
supplements. It is not up to me to decide what is good for you and what is not,
just like it is not the responsibility of the government to decide what is good
for me and what is not.
Several of my relatives have battled weight problems. I have witnessed the
impact on health that being overweight has because being overweight runs in my
family. Heart problems, adult-onset diabetes, high blood pressure: they are all
in the Ferguson family history of losing the battle of the bulge. After I
became slightly overweight myself about seven years ago I made up my mind that I
am not going to deal with the same problems others in my family have dealt with
if I can prevent it. I subscribed to a fitness magazine and started learning how
to take better care of myself.
Today, I follow an intense weightlifting program that I designed. I am
careful about what I eat and, yes, I rely on the use of nutritional supplements
- including ephredra products - to stay healthy. As a result, I lost over 20
pounds of fat and am stronger than I have ever been in my life.
If not for the freedom to choose the nutritional products I want, including
ephedra derivatives, I doubt that I could have lost the weight I have over the
years and I know that I would not be able to compete in baseball at the level I
do today while in my early 30's. For me, ephedra products have been and are very
effective in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Now, Tommy Thompson and the FDA
may work to take these resources, theses options, away from everyone.
The "War on Drugs" may expand from being the war on sick people, like
glaucoma and cancer patients who are prescribed medical marijuana, to a war on
those who actually work hard to improve their health.
The irony of the government's knee-jerk reaction to a tragic, but unusual,
event is the fact that banning ephedra-based supplements will actually harm the
health of millions of people, all in the name of having the government protect
their health. Each individual is responsible for their own decisions, including
what they choose to ingest. Some people make good decisions, some people make
bad decisions. It is, and should remain, individual decisions.
Secretary Thompson, who is not a physician, and the FDA would have us trust
politicians and bureaucrats to make nutrition decisions for us instead of
allowing individuals the freedom to decide for ourselves what is best for us.
Tommy Thompson may not "take it", but he should not have the ability to tell me
that I cannot do so if I want.
The debate over banning ephedra-based products is not as much about health
as it is about personal freedom. I simply do not need the government to tell me
what is good for me and what is not.
Special note: Mike is not a physician and his personal
experiences with the mentioned supplement products are just that; his
experiences based on his personal research that includes trial and error. Do not
mistake this column to be medical or nutritional advice for you. What is good
for Mike may not be good for you. Do your own research, including consulting
with a nutritionist or doctor, if you have any questions about what to consume.
Mike is just trying to protect your freedom to do that.
All rights reserved.
Permission to reprint this essay as a guest editorial, letter to the editor,
commentary or other viewpoint/ opinion item is granted under the following
conditions: 1) the essay is published without edit and 2) the author is given
full and proper credit.
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