A coroner’s report has revealed that Michael Jackson may have been taking the banned stimulant ephedrine at the time of his death. The Los Angeles County coroner’s report revealed that the singer also had the anesthetic propofol and the sedative lorazepam (Ativan) in his system, both of which contributed to his death. (more…)

The Mayo Clinic is warning consumers about the serious and potentially deadly side effects they may face from taking over-the-counter herbal supplements. The warning was sent in the Clinic’s August 2009 issue of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter. (more…)

Critics of the Food and Drug Administration’s regulation of dietary supplements say that the agency needs to be given more power in order to protect consumers from the potential health risks associated with these products. Concerns about the FDA’s regulation of supplements arose this week after the agency warned consumers about reports of acute liver injury and kidney failure among consumers taking over-the-counter body-building products. (more…)

This week marks the fifth anniversary of the death of major league pitcher Steve Belcher. The Baltimore Orioles pitcher was 23 years old when he died during a spring training workout in February 2003 after taking diet pills containing ephedrine, the active ingredient in ephedra. (more…)