ECA, ECA Stack
Ephedrine, Caffeine, and Aspirin, a popular and effective thermogenic combination
of drugs used for weight loss and energy. Ephedrine is a stimulant that acts
to increase alertness, energy, and body temperature, thus increasing caloric
expenditure. Caffeine inhibits the body's natural tendency to counteract the
stimulant effects of ephedrine, so that the two of them used together increase
caloric expenditures more than the sum of the increases caused by each one
used individually. The most common dosage is 200mg of caffeine taken with
20mg of ephedrine ( = 25mg of ephedrine hydrochloride) three times per day,
the third dose being taken not later than dinnertime. Caffeine and ephedrine
act as appetite suppressants, which has weight-loss benefits as well.
60mg of aspirin (about a quarter of a standard aspirin tablet) is often added
to the stack, but studies have not shown conclusively that ECA is more effective
for weight loss than ephedrine and caffeine without aspirin.
Please note that ephedrine and caffeine also have a diuretic effect, so some
weight loss will be due to a loss of water and not fat.
Eccentric
The muscle contracts as it lengthens. Example: During a bicep curl the bicep
contracts eccentrically as the weight is lowered.
Ectomorph
Thin and linear body type .
EFA
see essential fatty acids
Electrolytes
Minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium used by cells in
the creation and elimination of membrane potentials used to propagate nerve
impulses and muscular contraction
Endocrine
Glands that produce chemicals released into the bloodstream. The pituitary
and adrenal glands are endocrine glands; salivary glands and sweat glands
are not.
Endomorph
Rounded body type with small shoulders.
Enzyme
A protein catalyst; enzymes are essential for digestion and both the synthesis
and breakdown of proteins, hormones, and other substances in the body.
Ephedra
An herb, also known as Ma Huang and "Mormon Tea" containing ephedrine
and pseudoephedrine
Ephedrine
A common beta agonist used to relieve the symptoms of asthma; it dilates bronchial
passages and is also a stimulant
Epinephrine
Also known as adrenaline, epinephrine is a sympathomimetic hormone produced
by the adrenal glands that accelerates heart rate, constricts blood vessels,
raises blood pressure, dilates breathing passages, and accelerates the peristaltic
motion of the muscles lining the intestines.
Epiphyseal Plates
The "plate" on the end of a bone, particularly the long bones of
the arm and leg which remain unfused to the rest of the bone during growth.
Once they become fused, these bones cease to grow longer.
Ergogenic
Tending to increase muscular power, endurance, or size
Essential Amino Acids
Amino acids which cannot be synthesized by the body from other amino acids
and, thus, must be present in the diet: leucine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine,
phenylalanine, tryptophan, and valine
Essential Fatty Acids
Unsaturated fatty acids which cannot be synthesized by the body and are used
as the starting point for the biosynthesis of necessary metabolic and hormonal
chemicals.
Estrogen, Estrogenic
There is no one hormone named "estrogen"; estrogens are hormones
that induce or accentuate female sexual characteristics (as well as performing
other functions, depending on the specific hormone). Estrogens include estrone,
progesterone, and estradiol. "estrogenic" means "tending to
induce the same effects that estrogen does"; while chemicals that mimic
testosterone are almost nonexistent in nature, our food supply, and our environment,
estrogenic chemicals are common. Some of these, such as genestein (found in
soy) have gotten considerable press coverage because they are weak estrogens,
meaning that while they can occupy an estrogen receptor , they do not stimulate
the receptor to as great an extent as the body's own estrogens would, which
can reduce one's risk of estrogen-related cancers and tumors, most notably
breast cancer. However, for this last effect to occur, the weak estrogens
must be present in the body in sufficient quantity so that they displace existing
natural estrogens that would otherwise stimulate available estrogen receptors--and
the total degree of stimulation produced by the greater number of occupied
receptors must be less than would have been produced by the naturally present
estrogens alone.
Other estrogenic chemicals are found in plastics and pesticides and exert
harmful developmental effects by disrupting the normal hormonal events that
take place in humans and animals.
Extension
the act of straightening a joint or returning a joint to it's anatomical position.
Extracellular
outside the cell or cells (in the bloodstream, lymph, etc.) as opposed to
inside
EZ-Curl Bar
a short barbell with a shaft bent like a stretched-out 'w' typically used
for performing curls with the hands turned inward more than they would be
using a straight bar, putting less strain on the wrists. A typical olympic
EZ-curl bar weighs around twenty pounds, though there's no "official"
standard weight. Standard (takes plates with 1" holes) versions would
be lighter, typically ten to fifteen pounds.
