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2003/05/02, 05:52 PM
I have to admit this article did interest me because I did take fat burners for awhile, (Stackers II) There is nothing in this article that my husband hadn't told me before and I should have listened to him. If you take them longer than the direction do say the crash from them is really bad, all you will want to do is sleep and then have to turn around to take them just to stay awake. If you have to take them be careful, read the directions and do what they say. Happy to say I haven't taken them in awhile, it is all natural energy now.
Fat Burners
The most common, most effective and widely used fat-burner is the ECA stack.
E - Ephedrine
C - Caffeine
A - Aspirin
This is a very potent and powerful combination and does have some risks and health considerations.
The method by which this stack works is called thermogenesis. This means that when you take it, it will increase your body temperature and thus burn more energy (fat).
Side Effects:
Both Caffeine and Ephedrine are Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulants. What does this mean? Well, if you take these substances, be prepared for some jitters. You may be edgy and you will certainly have more energy. As a result, you should avoid taking this stack late in the day, as sleeping will be difficult.
These side effects will be even more dramatic if you are not used to caffeine. If you don't drink coffee regularly and you get a buzz of the occasional cup, then be prepared to be wired!
Now these side effects, although they have a dramatic effect, the health risk is rather minimal at recommended dosages and durations. You should know that Ephedrine is a serious medicine. It is a bronchial dilator, often used as a medicine for asthmatics which helps to open the airways during an attack. It is available by prescription in some countries and may indeed be a banned substance in some events/competitions! - Do your homework first!
As this potent stack increases body temperature and consequently heart rate, anyone with any prior history of heart disease or cardiac related problems should avoid the ECA stack.
Down Regulation:
A feature of the human body is that it gets used to and adapts to almost anything we throw at it. As a result, the effects that we can derive from the ECA stack will become smaller over time, and as a result, to get the same effect, more and more would have to be taken. (Not a safe alternative!) - The solution is to cycle ECA.
Frequency:
This potent stack helps to burn excess bodyfat, while maintaining a maximum amount of muscle. A side benefit of it, is that it "gives you energy". As a result, it is a common practice to use it about 30-45 minutes before a workout to get the added benefit of the energy boost. A conservative frequency would be twice per day, every other day (on workout days, especially before) A more aggressive approach would be to take it 3 times/day, 4-5 days per week, never more than 3 days in a row (so as to avoid dependence and down regulation).
Duration:
As mentioned above, your body will get used to the effects of the ECA stack and therefore you shouldn't remain on the stack for longer than about 3-4 weeks before a period of at least 2-3 weeks off.
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I will lift my own weight someday!!!!!
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2003/05/03, 11:54 AM
I will say an ECA stack does work , least it did for me when I was using it. Since I had that good luck with it over a year ago, I decided to try one of the newest fat burners called Hot Rox ( BioTest ). I just finished my first week on it, and although I have not measured myself to see if any loss of size ( I gained 2 lbs this week ), I do feel a euphoric state of mind from this product. I also pee a TON now lol. I like it so far . The gain i believe is from my training and diet...I am trying to keep LBM ( or gain ) while trying to reduce my BF%. I will keep you posted on the progress of Hot Rox.
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