Metabolife 356 all over the country

Radio stations are blasting ads for Metabolife 356 all over the country. It's selling like hotcakes.

People use it for energy and weight loss.

The primary ingredients are ephedrine and caffeine. These come from the herbs, ma huang and guarana.

Each tablet contains 12 mg ephedrine and 40 mg caffeine. The usual dose is 2 tablets BID...up to 8 tablets a day.

This exceeds the FDA's proposed limit for ephedrine. They propose no more than 8 mg/dose or 24 mg/day.

The FDA also wants to prohibit products that contain both ephedrine and caffeine. That's because caffeine has an additive stimulant effect and increases the risk of toxicity.

Some states are restricting the sale of ephedrine products by reclassifying them as prescription drugs or controlled substances.

There are several products like Metabolife. Some people shouldn't take them...others need to be careful not to exceed the recommended dose.

Too much ephedrine can cause heart attack...stroke...seizures.

Warn people not to use these products if they have heart disease...hypertension...thyroid disease...diabetes...or prostate enlargement.

Advise them that these products can interact with other drugs...CNS stimulants, decongestants, beta-agonists, theophylline, caffeine, antidepressants, antihypertensives, etc.

Metabolife is often sold by radio disk jockeys who rave about it on the air. If it's big in your area, you can offer a public service by putting an explanatory letter to the editor in your local paper, or offering your comments on the radio.

We've written a sample letter for this purpose. Get a copy from our www.pharmacistsletter.com or our PHARM-FaxBACK. Put your name to it, and use it however you think best.

• Other: Metabolife 356