ECA stack

The ECA stack is a drug combination used in weight loss and as a stimulant. ECA is an acronym for ephedrine, caffeine, and aspirin, with variants of it including the EC stack, which removes the aspirin for those that can not tolerate it. Dietary supplements based on or including elements of ECA were popular through the 1990s and early 2000's, but the marketing of ephedra- or ephedrine-containing stimulant combinations for weight loss and bodybuilding is now restricted or illegal in the United States and Canada due to reports of heart attack, stroke, and death associated with these supplements.

Efficacy

While it was available as a supplement, ECA was marketed with claims that it would aid weight loss, improve athletic performance and increase "energy".

Fat Loss

Placebo-controlled studies have consistently found ephedrine in combination with caffeine to be effective in promoting moderate fat loss without increasing serious adverse events compared to the placebo. Herbal supplements containing Ephedra aka Ma Huang - with or without caffeine - have similarly been demonstrated to be safe and effective in studies ranging from 8 weeks to 6 months in length."In total, these suggest that herbal ephedra/caffeine herbal supplements, when used as directed by healthy overweight men and women in combination with......
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