I think they stopped putting Ephedrine in Hydroxycut, so it isnt as bad for you as it used to be.
I can only speak to the original hydroxycut. It is basically a thermogenic stack (combo of important ingredients) of Caffine, Asprin and (at one point) ephedrine plus a couple other goodies.
The purpose of it is to elevate your core body temperature for extended periods in order to help burn a few more calories. The original intended user of hydroxycut would have been a body builder trying to get "cut" before a performance. It was supposed to help shed those last few pounds. The ephedrine played a VERY important role in stimulating fat burning and worked in sync with the caffine.
I would NOT recommend using hydroxycut or any thermogenic stack for extended periods if ephedrine is in the mix. And I dont happen to think that asprin and caffine being constantly present in your body is a good thing.
However, if you want to check out the new Hydroxycut that is ephedrine free, maybe that could be a good (albeit expensive) supplement?
btw, when checking your ingredients Ma Huang = Ephedrine.
Also, check out "Monster" energy drinks, they are crammed with all kinds of herbal stimulants (incl caffine and L-carnitine which proponents claim aids in fat burning).
But basically, if you wanna lose weight, do your aerobics 4 times a week and start eating well!