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Herbal appetite suppressant are made from herbs and plants, but "herbal" doesn't mean 100% safe. There are many herbal supplements that you should avoid. Many of the plants, that are used for their production contain many biologically active substances, some of which are still unidentified, while others are known to be posinous or with unpleasent side effects.
Ephedra is well known herbal appetite suppressant, that act as a stimulant. It is still used as a supplement for differenet conditions, like bronchial asthma. Its use as a appetite suprpessant for weight loss is banned by the FDA.
The reason is Ephedra has very short-term effect and in order to suppress appetite it has to be taken in very big doses. Such doses are very dangerous - there were even fatal cases reported. This was the reason FDA banned Ephedra-containing weight loss supplements.
Recently FDA has published a list of dherbal diet supplements, that can be dangerous for your health. Many of listed products are marketed as "herbal" or "natural", but after laboratory test were performed this was not exactly the truth. See the complete list of dangerous diet pill.
Some more examples to avoid:
Guarana, taurine, caffeine and caffeine-containing products - an herbal remedies on weight loss, hat has caffeine substance, attributed to have a stimulating effect of the nervous system. As a weight loss product it is total waist of time and money, it can be easily replaced by coffee in great amounts. Also it has no appetite suppressing potential.
The anecdotal appetite suppressing properties of caffeine were attributed by the marketers, aiming to sell more and more of their products. They just add caffeine to ther "wonder remedies" because caffeine increase the vigilance and improves mood (in fact caffeine is narcotic, and the stimulating effect is preserved for your brain  only!), thus way people taking such supplements feel well.
To be honest caffeine do have thermogenic effect. This effect has to do with the fact that caffeine makes your body burn more energy that it is able, squeezing your last reserves. This may sound like a dream come true, but it just exhaust you.
After the caffeine action leaves off you may feel more tired than ever. Then you'll need more time to rest, more caffeine to do your job and experience the side effects of caffeine overconsumption:
- nervousness,
- irritability,
- anxiety,
- tremulousness,
- muscle twitching (hyperreflexia),
- insomnia, headaches,
- respiratory alkalosis,
- and heart palpitations.
It is more likely to feel paranoic and nervous than lose weight.
Recent studies point out that caffeine is raising the glucose levels after meals. This is linked with increased insulin levels. So, caffeine should be avoided by diabetics, because the main aim of diabetes control is to keep glucose down (diabetics can't produce insulin to keep their glucose levels low).
There were even fatal cases reported, and most of them are caused by overconsumption of herbal appetite suppressants, containing large amounts of caffeine.
A statement from the American Medical Association Council on Scientific Affairs stated, "Moderate tea or coffee drinkers probably have no concern for their health relative to their caffeine consumption provided other lifestyle habits (diet, alcohol consumption) are moderate as well." This statement emphasizes moderate caffeine use.
So, be wise, and use caffeine in moderation.
Green tea extracts - it contains chemicals, called catechins. They are used to oncrease the effect of ephedra and other herbal stimulants. You should avoid green tea extracts, but prefer a cup of green tea (without sugar of course).
Curcuma longa - it originates from India, where the ancient Indian herbal healers used it. It is believed to have a very good effect on the liver, aids to stimulate the bile that works essentially on the breakdown of fats of the body. Here is the pitch - more bile means more effective breakdown of fatty acids in the guts. More effective breakdown means more effective absorption of fatty acids. You can actually get fat if you use this.
Garcinia cambogia / Hydroxycitric Acid (HCA, Citrin) - it originates from India and Southeast Asia, where it is widely applied to a variety of conditions as a natural cure. It is thought to lessen the production of glycogen in the liver and muscle tissues. Thus hydroxy citric acid (HCA) inhibits the storage of fats in the body, lessens its production, enhance metabolism.
In fact in the Textbook of Natural Medicine cautions, it is important to maintain a low-fat diet while taking HCA, otherwise HCA will not work. Low-fat diet will work without HCA.
Bitter orange extract - The active ingredient in bitter orange extract is called synephrine, a stimulant that constricts the blood vessels, increases metabolic rate and heart rate. All that stimulant activity (and it’s often combined with caffeine in weight loss supplements) boosts its claim to help suppress the appetite.
Although anecdotal evidence abounds (such as testimonials on weight loss and bodybuilding Web sites), there is little science to back up bitter orange’s claims. And since products that contain the ingredient aren’t regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, companies aren’t required to have proof of success—or safety.
The chemical structure of synephrine is very similar to that of ephedra (or ephedrine), a popular weight loss stimulant that was banned by the FDA in 2004 after reports of heart attacks and strokes. And in a 2005 Mayo Clinic report, synephrine was also linked to potential for causing strokes.
Racing heart rate, jitters and trouble sleeping could be a result of using this stimulant - especially if it’s combined with caffeine or you drink a few cups of coffee in addition to taking it
As you should be extremely careful when taking any type of herbal supplement or dietpill, whether it is prescribed by your doctor or bought over the counter. Some pills are very easy to get addicted to because they give you energy and suppress your appetite, or because people become obsessed with losing weight.
Because of these very serious health risks, herbal appetite suppressants should not be taken by someone who is only trying to lose a few vanity pounds. They should only be taken if they are morbidly obese and they are at a serious health risk because of their weight. Or you have to keep to safe herbal supplements, that have proved their effectiveness. |
