Ephedra's Risk To Young

(CBS)  Since the death of Steve Bechler, a 23-year-old pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, the national debate of the safety of herbal supplement ephedra has resurfaced.

Ephedra is banned for Olympic sports, college athletes, by the National Football League and at U.S. military bases worldwide after two dozen soldiers died while taking ephedra. But it's not banned for professional baseball players.

Also, some worry that some young people who participate in sports are taking the herbal substance to boost performance.

Dr. Eric Small, a specialist in pediatric sports medicine and the author of "Kids and Sports," explained on The Early Show's HealthWatch that ephedra and ephedrine comes from the same product and can be easily purchased over the Internet and in pharmacies.

Bechler's collapse at a spring training workout in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. may be connected to a popular weight-loss product that contains ephedra, and is used by some professional athletes, according to reports.

While the supplement may have had nothing to do with Bechlar's death, the industry says it will take responsible action as the facts dictate, but right now there are still many unknowns.

According to a study in the current issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, ephedra products make up only one percent of herbal supplement sales in the U.S., but they are responsible for 62 percent of herb-related reports to poison-control centers.

Because young adults can easily get their hands on ephedra, Dr. Smalls says, "It should be taken off of the market because of the possible serious side effects."

Dr. Smalls says because Bechler was out of shape, exercising in the heat and taking a substance that contains ephedra, the combination was a recipe for disaster.

"When one is out of shape and exercising in the heat, they have to be appropriately hydrated and appropriately eating," says Dr. Small. "In this case, from what we read, he was trying to lose 10 pounds very quickly, he was highly motivated to make this professional baseball team, and he had had problems a couple days before. All these are risk factors for heat injury or heat stroke."

Dr. Smalls says the normal resting heart rate or pulse is 60 to 100 beats per minute, and if someone is using ephedra that will raise their resting heart rate by 20 to 30 beats. The higher the rate, the more likely your temperature will rise. If you are continuing to exercise over a half-hour or hour, you keep heating up.

Dr. Smalls says there isn't an exact statistic on the number of children using ephedra in America, but he estimates at least one person on each team is taking the substance.

"If you're a parent, you should be concerned," says Dr. Smalls. "You should have an open discussion if they're taking the substance. If they're having side effects, dizziness, heart palpitations, heart racing, they should stop the medication. But even if they are taking any of these substances, they have to make sure it's taken as prescribed or recommended."

He explains those who are taking ephedrine should follow the directions on the packaging and take one pill, not two or three pills. Taking double or triple the dose can lead to drastic consequences.