ralph cygan: there are a number of stimulants on the market: ephedra, which is an epinephrine or sympathamimetic drug which is a strong metabolic stimulant that will probably suppress appetite for a few days or a few weeks, but longterm, can be extremely dangerous, and taken in doses higher than is recommended, can also cause potential cardiovascular problems, arrhythmias, chest pains, high blood pressure, etc. fad diets that limit or promote excessive intake of certain nutrients can also be dangerous. take high-protein diets, for example. protein is used, initially, in the body to maintain muscle mass, to build cells, antibodies, hormones, etc. generally, that need for protein will be met if we take in 12 to no more than 20% of our calories from protein. any additional protein that we take in will be broken down and burned for calories. however, protein is a rather inefficient source of calories in the body because it first has to be metabolized through the liver, some components of the protein structure removed. those components of the protein structure then are waste products, and they're exc