Ephedrine, like almost all sympathomimetics and stimulants associated with fat loss, does not show much flexibility or variety in terms of dosing or cycle length.
While ephedrine is used to some extent for purposes outside of fat loss goals, the primary focus of ephedrine use in bodybuilding and athletics is on fat loss.
In this sense, ephedrine is utilized almost exclusively as a fat loss agent. It is also used as an energy booster or temporary strength enhancer, but these are only secondary side effects for most people using it for fat loss.
Unlike clenbuterol, the dosage of ephedrine is measured in the more common mg (milligram) unit, rather than the mcg (microgram) unit used by clenbuterol.
When ephedrine was openly sold as a fat loss aid in supplement stores, it was sold in 25 mg or 50 mg tablets (or proprietary blends containing 25 to 50 mg of ephedrine in a capsule).
In the 2000s, restrictions on the sale of ephedrine were tightened, and while ephedrine may still be available in states where it is readily available, it may be limited to very small amounts per tablet (e.g., 4 mg tablets).
Outside of the United States, you can typically find ephedrine in the 25-50 mg tablet range.
In Canada, ephedrine can be freely bought and sold openly as long as it is in concentrations of 8mg or less per tablet.
Ephedrine is often taken in combination with caffeine for a synergistic fat loss effect, and has been proven in studies to promote moderate fat loss in obese individuals and even an average of 1 kg/month of additional fat loss [1] [2] [3].
In addition, studies have demonstrated that ephedrine is safe and effective when used appropriately and diligently, with or without caffeine.[4][5]
Typically, an average of 200 mg of caffeine is used with every dose of ephedrine.
This is commonly referred to as an EC stack or E/C stack (ephedrine and caffeine stack).
It is also often used in combination with aspirin, which is also known as an ECA stack or E/C/A stack.
However, the use of aspirin is highly questionable due to conflicting theories and a lack of clinical data to support it, and may pose greater health risks during use, especially for those for whom blood thinners like aspirin may be problematic.
For this reason, many people use ephedrine minus the A (aspirin) as their EC stack.
Medical ephedrine dosage
In medical settings, ephedrine can be taken to treat nasal congestion, asthma, and bronchitis, and to treat seasickness.
The recommended dose of ephedrine to treat nasal congestion, asthma, and bronchitis is about 8 mg every few hours, not to exceed 24 mg per day.
Ephedrine and promethazine are often combined to treat seasickness, where the ephedrine dose is 25 mg with 25 mg of promethazine.
While promethazine works to eliminate seasickness, it tends to cause drowsiness and fatigue, which ephedrine is designed to counteract.
Ephedrine dosage for fat loss
Since ephedrine is used almost exclusively as a fat loss agent, the target effective ephedrine dosage is generally the same for all users (beginners, intermediate, and advanced).
Ephedrine doses often need to be increased gradually over several days until a maximum dose is reached, after which this maximum dose should be maintained for the duration of use.
Because ephedrine is a stimulant, a rapid increase in ephedrine dose or an immediate full dose of the maximum dose can be very uncomfortable and even fatal to the user.
For this reason, it is strongly recommended that users slowly increase their ephedrine dose over a period of several days to the desired maximum dose (previously called ramping up or ramp-up).
The optimal comfortable dose for one person may vary from person to person and will depend on their weight, gender, and body type.
The maximum fat burning dose of ephedrine is typically in the range of 50-150 mg per day, taken in two to three doses throughout the day (spread out evenly due to ephedrine's short half-life of 3-6 hours).
For example:
Ephedrine total of 90 mg per day (maximum dose)
- 8 AM: Take 30 mg of ephedrine
- 12:00 PM: Take 30 mg of ephedrine
- 3:00 PM: 30 mg of ephedrine
If you use caffeine with ephedrine, you would typically consume 200 mg of caffeine for each application of ephedrine.
In this example, the maximum daily dose of ephedrine is 90mg and the maximum application dose of ephedrine is 30mg.
As mentioned earlier, it is very important to increase your dose slowly, especially for beginners or those who are very sensitive to stimulants.
Overview of the appropriate ramp-up dose increase protocol (for a total maximum daily dose of 90 mg of ephedrine)
- Day 1: 10 mg of ephedrine in each application (3 applications daily)
- Day 6: 20 mg of ephedrine in each application (3 applications daily)
- Day 12: 30mg of ephedrine in each application (3 applications daily)
The user will now maintain 90mg per day (or 30mg of ephedrine 3 times per day) for the duration of the ephedrine cycle.
Some people have decreased sensitivity to ephedrine (and most stimulants), and these individuals may be able to increase their doses more quickly and in larger amounts (e.g., every 3 days instead of every 6 days as listed).
Conversely, if you are hypersensitive to ephedrine and related stimulants, you may need to increase your ephedrine dose slowly and gradually.
Female ephedrine dosage
Women's responses to ephedrine are, for the most part, exactly the same as men's responses to ephedrine doses.
The only noticeable difference is the fact that women have a lower overall body mass and weight than men, which can affect their sensitivity to ephedrine and the highest dose required.
Because women have a smaller body weight and body mass, the maximum dose required is often lower.
Therefore, it's important to note that ephedrine doses are not set in stone and can usually be adjusted and customized based on the individual.
The right dose of ephedrine and when to take it
Since ephedrine has a half-life of 3-6 hours, it should be taken in several evenly divided doses daily.
The general protocol in this regard is to take an average of two to three doses per day, as described earlier. This will ensure that blood levels remain constant and stable, resulting in a sustained and steady effect.
Expected effects and results from taking ephedrine
For most people, ephedrine provides an appetite suppressant effect, making it much easier to comply with strict nutritional regimens, which typically require a calorie deficit, so that ephedrine can kick-start fat loss.
Therefore, ephedrine should be used in conjunction with a nutritional regimen that favors fat loss to aid in fat loss.
The amount of fat loss expected with the help of ephedrine will vary from person to person, but the aforementioned study showed an additional 2.2 pounds per month compared to placebo.
Ephedrine side effects
Because ephedrine is a sympathomimetic amine and stimulant, ephedrine side effects are the same as those of other stimulant compounds.
All compounds in the stimulant class of drugs (e.g., caffeine, clenbuterol, albuterol, cocaine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, etc.) all have more or less the same side effects.
That is, they're all stimulants, so they share the same types of side effects, but some have more of certain side effects than others, and this includes the intensity level of some side effects.
The best example of this is comparing clenbuterol side effects to ephedrine side effects, both of which commonly include tremors (hand tremors), but are generally reported to be more pronounced with clenbuterol than ephedrine.
In fact, many users anecdotally report no hand tremors and shaking at all.
Common ephedrine side effects include the potential side effects of all central nervous system stimulants.
These include tremor (hand tremors), insomnia, sweating, headache, increased blood pressure, dizziness, and nausea.
Stimulants like ephedrine can also cause some side effects that are not commonly listed, such as psychological side effects.
These psychological side effects can include anxiety, increased euphoria (improved mood), and depression (due to possible “stimulant crash” after stopping use).
Less common and rarer side effects associated with stimulants (mostly associated with overdose) include tachycardia (fast heart rate), irregular heartbeat, rapid breathing, severe nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Because ephedrine is considered a much more potent and pronounced stimulant than caffeine, a general guideline for people who are new to or considering using ephedrine is that people who are intolerant to the effects of caffeine should avoid using ephedrine because its effects are much stronger.
Similarly, people who tolerate other stimulants like caffeine very well or mildly will likely be able to tolerate the stimulant effects of ephedrine better.
Ephedrine side effects include a more severe and pronounced appetite suppressant effect than other stimulants (including clenbuterol in most cases).
Ephedrine's appetite suppressant ability is generally welcomed during dieting periods for obvious reasons, and in fact, prescription appetite suppressants often contain ephedrine as one of several ingredients.
Due to the nature of ephedrine as a stimulant and its effects on the central nervous system, blood pressure, and cardiovascular system in general, it is highly recommended that individuals considering ephedrine use undergo a variety of medical tests to identify or rule out any underlying or congenital diseases/conditions (especially if they involve cardiac tissue) that may be exacerbated by ephedrine use.
If a person considering taking ephedrine knowingly suffers from or has suffered from heart disease, high blood pressure, or thyroid disease, they should refrain from using ephedrine at all costs.
Ephedrine references
[1] “Taken together, the data suggest that the use of herbal ephedra/caffeine supplements as directed, along with healthy diet and exercise habits, in healthy overweight men and women can help them lose weight without significantly increasing the risk of adverse effects.” C N Boozer1, P A Daly, P Holm, J L Solomon, D Blanchard, J A Nasser, R Strauss, T Meredith “Herbal ephedra/caffeine for weight loss: a 6-month randomized safety and efficacy trial” Int J Obes May 2002, Vol 26, No 5, pp 593-604.
[2] Ephedrine, caffeine, and aspirin: safety and efficacy for the treatment of human obesity. Daly PA, Krieger DR, Dulloo AG, Young JB, Landsberg L. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1993 Feb;17 Suppl 1:S73-8.
[3] “Efficacy and safety of ephedra and ephedrine for weight loss and exercise performance: A meta-analysis”. Paul G. Schechter, MD, PhD; Mary L. Hardy, MD; Sally C. Morton, PhD; Margaret Maglione, MPP; Walter A. Mojica, MD, MPH; Marika J. Sertoff, MS; Shannon L. Rose, MFA; Lara Ljungvik, BA; James Gagné, MD JAMA. 2003;289:1537-1545.
[4] “Taken together, the data suggest that the use of herbal ephedra/caffeine supplements as directed in combination with healthy diet and exercise habits in healthy overweight men and women may help them lose weight without significantly increasing the risk of adverse effects.” C N Boozer1, P A Daly, P Holm, J L Solomon, D Blanchard, J A Nasser, R Strauss, T Meredith “Herbal ephedra/caffeine for weight loss: a 6-month randomized safety and efficacy trial” Int J Obes May 2002, Vol 26, No 5, pp 593-604.
[5] Ephedra-Guarana-containing herbal supplement for weight loss: a randomized double-blind trial. Boozer CN, Nasser JA, Haysfield SB, Wang V, Chen G, Solomon JL. 2001 Mar;25(3):316-24.
