Apr. 2, 2003

Government Must Do More to Regulate Dietary Supplements

Forum Column - By Jeffrey A. Lowe - Recently, there have been stories of professional athletes and people who are simply trying to lose weight getting seriously ill and even dying from using over-the-counter dietary supplements. Many of these supplements contain the stimulant ephedrine. Ephedrine is an amphetaminelike compound used in over-the-counter products with potentially lethal side effects on the central nervous system and the heart.