Football Player's Death Linked to Ephedrine

There is new evidence that the pressure on young athletes to perform and to outperform their competitors is so great that many are risking their lives with dietary supplements.

These over-the-counter products are not regulated by the government and may contain powerful and dangerous ingredients. CBS's Cynthia Bowers investigates the issue.

Rashidi Wheeler was a driven player. Last season, he was one of the rising stars of the Northwestern University football team. But his sudden death at practice earlier this month raised questions about whether he may have pushed himself too hard.

The preliminary cause of death was listed as bronchial asthma, but teammates reportedly now say Wheeler may have taken a performance enhancer that contains the stimulant ephedrine.

Dozens of supplements on store shelves contain it, and it's perfectly legal. The supplements promise to increase stamina and cut weight, but many physicians say they simply trick the body--with sometimes-deadly consequences.

"The blood vessels to the legs and arms are going to be opened up, so you get more blood supply to them over the short run. The body can't sustain this . . . [so] you fatigue and you collapse," says Dr. Alan Korn of the Healthy Competition Foundation.

Use of supplements containing ephedrine has been linked recently to the deaths of two other football players, including Florida State's Devaughn Darling.

According to a new NCAA report, almost 60% of student athletes say they use a nutritional supplement. An increasing number of these students are turning to ephedrine. Nearly 10% of female gymnasts acknowledge taking it, even though it has been banned by the NCAA.

The Food and Drug Administration has reports of at least 80 deaths associated with products containing ephedrine, but an industry group says it is safe.

"There has to be a presumption that you're going to use the product as directed and you're going to use it responsibly," says John Cordaro, president of the Council for Responsible Nutrition.

Doctors warn that the people most vulnerable are those with medical conditions like Rashidi Wheeler's asthma, the very kids who believe ephedrine might give them an edge.
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