Weight Loss Supplements
Weight Loss Supplements
by Karen Asp
If you believe the ads, you just need to pop a pill to take off extra pounds. If only it were that easy. "Weight loss requires a change in food and activity behaviors, and no supplement can do that," says Connie Diekman, R.D., director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., and immediate past president of the American Dietetic Association. But there's good news too: There may, be a few supplements that could aid your weight loss efforts, keeping in mind, of course, that you still need to eat healthy and exercise regularly. To find out, we tapped Diekman and Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., board-certified nutritionist and author of The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth (Fair Winds, 2008), for the scoop on 10 common supplements.
Guarana
In supplement form, guarana is a concentrated source of caffeine that's supposed to increase your metabolism. However, while it might help you drop pounds temporarily, it doesn't provide lasting weight loss and could raise blood pressure and heart rate.
The bottom line: Skip it
Green Tea Extract
Green tea contains a compound called EGCG that may stimulate metabolism. Several studies, in fact, have linked green tea extract to a reduction in body fat and increase in thermogenesis, or the rate at which calories are burned.
The bottom line: Try It: Pop 270 mg per day or drink three cups of green tea a day.
Hoodia
Hoodia is a native African cactus that's believed to suppress appetite. However, there's no research to show benefits. Besides, by the time you get this in supplement form, it may not contain much of the plant, and it's the fiber from the plant that probably helps people fill up.
The bottom line: Skip it.
Yerba Mate: Skip It
Yerba mate is a concentrated plant source of caffeine that's supposed to boost metabolism. Although you might see a temporary drop in weight, changes aren't long-lasting. Plus, as with all stimulants, side effects include increased heart rate and blood pressure.
The bottom line: Skip it.
Chitosan
This bulking agent comes from the bones and shells of shellfish, and manufacturers claim it suppresses appetite and blocks fat absorption. Yet no studies show any weight loss benefits.
The bottom line: Skip it.
Bitter Orange
Touted as a substitute to ephedra, bitter orange is a stimulant that supposedly boosts metabolism and helps you burn calories. However, no research has proven these claims. As a stimulant, it can also raise blood pressure and heart rate, which could be harmful.
The bottom line: Skip it.
Recent Comments
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7 comments
Getwau 11:25:13 AM Oct 01 2008
This is ridiculous. You don't need diet pills or shakes to lose weight. I know what it's like to try and lose weight. I lost 47 pounds in 6 weeks using the Rapidthin diet at www.rapidthin.com. Good luck to all. Use what works for you.
MrGeraldWood 06:15:59 PM Sep 05 2008
Ephedra is wrong due to the negative side effects. Sample: increased heart rate.Guarna is okay. Author states, "Guarna is a concentrated form of caffeine." Side note: Ephedra is equivalent to caffeine. Side effect of caffeine is increases the heart rate...as simulants do. The authors credibility has been breached, and, can not be trusted. Caffenine requiresa highly absorbable form of protien to mitigate its negative health impact. And, how much to take, at what interval is not clear.
Kkineshanko 06:15:36 PM Sep 05 2008
PGX is all you need - special fibre developed by university of toronto - not some "Doctor" trying to get rich selling useless pills. The PGX is incredible. Google it and read up on it, you will thank yourself later.
JasonGoalie34 02:57:43 PM Sep 05 2008
I would just like to add: I'm not some meathead that works out six hours a day at the local gym. I don't even belong to a gym. I am, however, a former member of Obese America. I lost 95 pounds, ON MY OWN, by changing my habits of eating and exercise, PERMANENTLY. And the results, for almost nine months now, have been indeed permanent.
JasonGoalie34 02:55:16 PM Sep 05 2008
This subject SHOULD be summed up in one sentence: "Weight Loss Supplements: SKIP ALL OF THEM." For the past few decades, America has been looking for easy ways out of being gluttonous couch potatoes, from pills, to contrived meal replacement plans, to dangerous surgical procedures. NONE OF THIS CRAP WORKS!!! The permanent solution is moderated eating habits and an active lifestyle. When Americans start to realize that only permanent lifestyle changes will bring about permanent wieght loss, we might start to chip away at the obesity epidemic.
leanandmeannow 09:43:59 PM Aug 13 2008
I found an amazing supplement called Caralluma Burn it contains a revolutionary new ingredient that clinical research suggests helps suppress the appetite. It's an extract of the Indian herb Caralluma fimbriata and all I can tell you is that it makes me feel full. It's the only that has ever been able to curb my appetite and the pounds are just coming off me and I don't feel hungry. I buy it online at http://www.theworldsgreatestsupplements.com/ It's a real life changer
BrocHead 01:44:26 PM Jun 21 2008
Please, the bad fast foods article only succeeded in making me hungry. Ha!
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7 comments
