i'm not worried. I take ephedrine
This is the very short version but to the point........
1. All stimulants eventually become DEPRESSENTS and will cause you to lose energy, especially when you're on low carbs.
2. If someone is on Ephedrine or any other stimulant the usual first effects are weight loss due to water and some fat, but as time goes on the constant release and (the main factor in all of this) OVERPRODUCTION OF INSULIN will stop a persons body from burning fat and if the carb consumption is too high will cause you to INCREASE fat and will not keep BURNING fat, if you understand how insulin works, you should know this, this is how ephedra has a reverse effect.
3. You said you have been taking ephedrine for 15 years, my guess is it's more of an addiction and does more harm than good, if someone is dependant on stimulants it usually because of low seratonin levels that causes the craving for the stimulants and when low on carbs, you crave carbs.
I reguards to the GH Gut theories that have been speculated, I've heard things from excess carb loading to enlarged organs due to excessive GH to visceral fat, but the one conclusion that I think I have and it makes sense is the overproduction of insulin and some of the main factors in bodybuilding that causes this is stimulants and carb loading both of which will cause and over production of insulin and will cause bloating in the stomach.
I have a TON more on this subject, but I gotta go back to work.