A great majority of gym enthutisiast the United States participate in fitness activities as a way to diminish body fat and tone muscle. In addition to cardio exercise and strength training, there is a wide array of nutritional supplements available to help these athletes in achieving their goals. While there is a great variety of over the counter fat loss supplements such as Nitric-Oxide, Hydroxycut and Xenadrine, the most popular of these supplements by far is the category of fat-burning thermogenics. While there is a variety of thermogenic supplements available, and the most popular of these fat-burners is the classic ECA stack. ECA refers to the ephedra-caffeine-aspirin stack.

Ephedra and Psuedo-ephedrine
Ephedra, extracted from the plant Ma Huang, is a (CNS)central nervous system stimulant. It promotes tachycardia, and increased heart rate, and a rise in blood pressure, among a variety of other physiological effects that result in a rise in body temperature. This happens as the body works increasingly to keep up with the elevated workload created by a higher volume of blood moving through the circulatory system. This increased workload causes more calories to burn than if the body were at rest.

Since the ban on all ephedra-based products by the Food and Drug Administration, ephedra has been substituted with the less intense and effective synthetic psuedoephedrine. While it is approximately a quarter as effective as the original, pseudoephedrine still provides a dramatic thermogenic effect.

CAFFEINE
Often called the most popular drug in the world, caffeine is similar to ephedra in that its a central nervous system stimulant. It promotes some of the same physiological effects on the body. With normal doses effects can be noted within 15 minutes of consumption.

ASPIRIN
Is not a thermogenic substance in itself, aspirin, or acetylated salicyclic acid, is a critical element in the ECA stack. By its ability to thin the blood within the circulatory system aspirin enhances heat resistance in the body. This allows the working effect of the ephedra and caffeine to last longer, providing a better impact effect.

CONCLUSION
The stacking of psuedo-ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin provide a synergistic effect for the consumption of stored body fat that is much greater than the effect provided by any of theses ingredients alone.

-A.P.