Effective & Trusted Medications Guide

Weight Loss Supplements - Know Before Buying!

Ever tried going into a health food store or browse online to pick a weight loss supplement whatsoever?? Hu-u-undreds of them and all boasting about their uniquely remarkable qualities and benefits … And there you are confused, hesitative and puzzled.
Of course, it can be quite tempting to try out brand-new products… But the waylaying danger is to try out all of the accompanying side-effects or simply put too much money and time to waste. Therefore, it is extremely important to approach the comparison-shopping routine in all seriousness and with all responsibility.
Below follows a descriptive list of some most popular weight loss supplements. Getting acquainted with the presented information might help to sort the huge variety of products into promising ones and potentially harmful.

• Hoodia – is a well-known top-selling herbal supplement that possesses appetite suppressing properties.

It is a 100%-natural product containing dried extracts of the Hoodia plant stems and roots and is usually sold in form of capsules, powders, tea (infusion), tinctures and chewable tablets. There haven’t been any clinical tests on humans yet so there is no any clinical evidence supporting the Hoodia miraculous appetite fighting effect. However, millions of positive comments and praising testimonials from Hoodia users suggest its qualities are not at all overrated…

1 Warning though! If you intend to search for Hoodia supplements online, you’ll undoubtedly dash against a few untrustworthy online pharmacies, selling counterfeit or fake Hoodia. Make sure to click their website ‘Close’ right away.

Also, avoid buying products with self-bragging descriptions and from pharmaceutical companies claiming their uniqueness and superiority over the competitor.

• Fucoxanthin – is a carotenoid derived naturally from edible brown algae such as wakame. If you’re a devotee of ‘miso soup’ – than you know what wakame is.

The same as with Hoodia, Fucoxanthin haven’t undergone any clinical trials involving humans yet. It has long miles to go before it can be officially recognized and recommended for use by the medical world. However, preliminary fucoxanthin studies in animals yielded quite promising results suggesting it may target abdominal fat. Fat in the abdominal area is associated with diabetes and heart disease… unfortunately the problematic issue for many people. Getting rid of it is essential to staying healthy.

Fucoxanthin is a non-stimulant, i.e., it produces no energy-boosting effect like, for instance, ephedra, caffeine or bitter orange.

• Guarana – is a tropical berry growing in Venezuela and Brazil and more specifically - in the Amazon rain forest region. It is a natural stimulant that is rich in caffeine.

1 Guarana black seed contains approximately twice the amount of caffeine found in 1 coffee bean. Caffeine is a naturally-occurring central nervous system stimulant that raises energy expenditure and alertness level. However, it is not recommended in large amounts for anxiety, overexcitement and rapid heart are likely to follow.

• Chromium – is a mineral that human beings require in scanty amounts in order to enhance the action of insulin, which is a hormone vital to storage and metabolism of fat, carbohydrate and protein in the body.

Chromium is also promoted as a weight loss and muscle building supplement, i.e., it is effective and helpful both in people suffering from insulin resistance or diabetes and those suffering from obesity or excessive weight.
Initial studies have linked weight loss to chromium supplements use. However, a bunch of recent testings provided no evidence whatsoever concerning chromium’s supposed weight loss inducing properties.

Diabetics taking diabetes medication and willing to try out dietary supplements are strongly recommended to consult a doctor before self-prescribing chromium-based products.
Moreover, people with extreme anxiety, depression and/or other serious psychiatric conditions shouldn’t consider taking chromium without consulting a qualified medical professional. Chromium is known to affect neurotransmitters levels.

• Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) – is a naturally-occurring fatty acid found in scanty amounts in milk and dairy products.

It also exists in form of a nutritional supplement and is promoted as an effective weight loss booster, body fat decreaser and muscle increaser. 18 previously published studies on the efficacy of CLA were recently submitted to analysis revealing the fact that a 3.2-grams-per-day CLA dosage produced a moderate fat decreasing effect in humans compared to a placebo.
A different study, however, have expressed worries that trans-10,cis-12 CLA, which is a compound of many CLA-based supplements, may aggravate insulin sensitivity and worsen the lipid profile indexes in obese and overweight people. Therefore, additional researchings are needed.

As for possible CLA side effects, they are mostly mild and involve the digestive system – e.g., diarrhea.

• Chitosan – is a dietary supplement that is derived from naturally-occurring chitin – the main structural element in crustacean shells such as crabs, shrimps and other shellfish.

Chitosan is believed to block fat absorption by sticking to fat molecules in the digestive tract. 14 previously published studies on the efficacy of Chitosan were recently submitted to analysis revealing the fact that Chitosan supplements produced a significant fat decreasing effect in humans compared to a placebo. However, the analysis of a different, more high-quality study suggested the effect of Chitosan on body weight was so minimal as to be unnoticeable.

As for possible Chitosan side effects, there usually isn’t any in the short-term use; however, in cases of prolonged use constipation, bloating and other minor digestive annoyances may occur.

• Apple Cider Vinegar – the old-timers home-made remedy that has gained popularity as a natural appetite suppressant and “fat-burner”. It is now available in form of apple cider vinegar pills.

The almighty liquid was even honored with a personal self-named diet called “Apple Cider Vinegar Diet”, which implies taking 1 to 3 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar 3 times a day before breakfast, lunch and dinner. Using some vinegar in the cooking routine can spice up home-cooked specialties and delicacies. Moreover, a preliminary study suggests it acts as a good satiety promoter. However, unpleasant side effects were reported with the use of apple cider vinegar tablets pills.

• Ephedra - that goes by the name “ma huang” in Chinese - is an Asian plant that has been long used in China and India to treat headaches, asthma, fever, flu and nasal congestion.

The extract of Ephendra sinica plant is often combined with caffeine or caffeine containing herbs, such as yerba mate and guarana. Primary short-term studies on Ephedra efficacy and safety suggested that such a mixture may somewhat decrease body weight; however, in April 2004 the sale of ephedra-based products in the U.S. was banished by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) because of serious safety-related worries. Such adverse effects as high blood pressure, heart attacks, seizures, irregularities in heart rate and even fatal outcomes have been associated with the use of Ephedra-based supplements. Although ‘ephedra online’ is still a common event it should be avoided.

• Bitter Orange – is a herb similar to ephedra that started gaining popularity right after ephedra was taken off the market in 2004.

Bitter Orange has also been linked to a bunch of serious side-effects such as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure and abnormalities in heart rhythm. People suffering from hypertension, diabetes… people with heart disease and other cardiovascular condition weakening the heart should avoid the use of Bitter Orange at any cost. A healthcare professional should be consulted prior to using dietary supplements of any kind and especially prior to using stimulants such as Bitter Orange and Ephedra.

Do not take Bitter Orange with caffeine or caffeine-containing herbs… it could double-triple the risk of developing adverse effects mentioned in the Ephedra description paragraph.

Always consider and reconsider twice before picking a weight loss supplement… Take your time and make a wise choice!