Q. What’s up with all these diet supplements I
hear about? It seems like HCA is the big one now but I have no idea. Do any of them do anything?!
A. That’s
the real question isn't it?! There is so much pseudo-information floating around out there that it is nearly impossible to figure out what is a credible
source and what is just somebody trying to sell you a magic pill. Thankfully, we have the skinny on what you
can try for weight management and more importantly, what you shouldn't.
Here are my top 5 weight loss supplements to avoid and two
that I think are worth a try:
Avoid
Caffeine Caffeine has been shown to be
effective as a weight loss supplement.
The question though is the cost.
No, it’s not particularly expensive but what toll does it extract from
your body. Most of us are already
getting some caffeine in our diet from coffee or other sources and we do not
need to be hit with more. Caffeine is a
stimulant and in the short term it can cause crashes and fatigue and in the
long run can contribute to adrenal fatigue.
Additionally, high doses of caffeine around 300mg (some products can
have this much in a single pill) have been known to cause heart palpitations,
agitation, anxiety and worse.
1,3 Dimethylamylamine Luckily, the FDA has helped us out
with this mouthful of a dietary ingredient.
Also known as DMAA, this “plant extract” had a chemical structure not
too dissimilar to a more well-known stimulant, methamphetamine. Even though the FDA has prohibited the
production of products that contained this ingredient, some retailers still
have a back stock of these products and they are still out there on
shelves. Be astute and check any weight
management supplement before you purchase it to make sure this is not in
it. Seriously, this stuff has killed
people.
Yohimbe On a less dramatic note, Yohimbe is
an herb that has been used for many years traditionally as a tonic. Men are the most likely to use yohimbe as it
is known give a boost to a man’s sex drive and his energy. It is the energy boosting component of
yohimbe that weight loss supplement manufacturers seem to be trying to harness
because otherwise it has no known weight loss benefits. Unfortunately some companies overdo the
dosing and this can lead to side effects including seizure, arrhythmia and even
heart attacks. Avoid it.
Raspberry Ketones These were all the rage a couple of
years ago. Some well-known television
personalities endorsed it for weight loss and it took off like a rocket. Unfortunately, to date there still has not been
a single peer-reviewed study on its effectiveness in humans (though there have
been a handful of tests on animals performed). People using raspberry ketones
for weight loss lose an average of 45 dollars.
Lemon/Cayenne/Maple Cleanse I’ve never been a big fan of diets
or cleanses that work by excluding large swaths of food groups. This cleanse advocates that you make a
mixture of lemon juice, cayenne peppers and maple syrup and drink this
concoction for a period of at least three days in lieu of eating. You may lose some weight with this method in
the short term but at a price. I won’t
go in to details of some of the effects of this diet but it doesn’t take too
much imagination to figure out where you would be sitting most of those three
days.
There are two natural supplements for weight management that are worth
recommending for anyone looking for a healthy boost to their diet and
exercise regimen that has been endorsed by their doctor. Here they are:
Garcinia Cambogia Made from the rind of this small
fruit, the extract is called HCA. There
are three contributing factors to making this a viable weight management
supplement. The first is that it is
purported to help reduce appetite when taken before a meal, the second is that
it inhibits an enzyme that is responsible for the production of fat from carbohydrates
and the third is that it is one of the least expensive products of its type on
the market. I’ve had many people use
this over the years who have given it high praise.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid More commonly known as CLA, this
fat that is similar in many ways to Omega 3 has been shown in studies to help
reduce body fat and increase lean muscle mass.
It seems to have its effect partially in providing a healthy fat to your
body that it can use and thereby limiting the body’s need to produce new fat
from food. Try dosing between 2 -4 grams
per day for best effects.
Every body
is different when it comes to weight management and there are unique
considerations for each person. Before beginning
any diet or weight loss plan you should talk to your doctor or pharmacist and
get some professional direction. When it
comes to weight loss supplements there are many to choose from but choose
wisely! We would be glad to weigh in for you if you have any questions!
If you have a question you would like addressed on Mail Monday,
leave us a comment here or on our Facebook page.
Good luck and good health,
Joshua Long
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Hoey Apothecary is a traditional pharmacy with a passion for
holistic wellness. From retail supplements to custom pharmaceutical
compounding, we are here to support you and your unique wellness goals.
Visit us at 217 Cottage Grove Rd in Madison, WI or at our website at
www.hoeyrx.com. Bridging the gap between nature and medicine - Hoey
Apothecary!
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