Wayne Askew, director of the Division of Nutrition in the University of Utah's College of Health, said he was surprised by the ruling.

"I think the FDA made a prudent decision, given the preponderance of scientific evidence the FDA had," he said. "The FDA action was a step in the right direction in making the dietary supplement industry more responsible and in promoting safety."

While ephedra has been used for centuries, originally by Eastern cultures, Askew said he is concerned about people being able to buy it without knowing potential risks.

"Ephedra should be prescribed under the care and guidance of a physician. If people can buy it over the counter, they think it's not dangerous, and they may take too much," he said.

Nanna Meyer, a sports dietician and physiologist at The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital in Murray, gives nutrition guidance to athletes, some of whom have eating disorders. She also teaches sports nutrition at the U. and works with college athletes.

"This drug has to be taken off the market, especially for sports performance in athletes," Meyer said. "Ephedra should not be consumed by athletes."

Some athletes take ephedra because it makes them more alert, improves mood and helps them breathe better, because it dilates the bronchial tissues, she said.

"It's also misused and abused a lot in sports for weight loss," Meyer said. "Even at a low dose, the public can take as many of them as they want. People want a quick fix to lose weight, but ephedra can be fatal."