Weight Loss Supplements
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Losing weight, although can greatly improve your emotional and physical health, however, it can be a slow process. There are diet supplements that can boost weight loss, opting for a range of products that claim to decrease appetite, block fat absorption, or increase metabolism. The following are the six products you can buy at most health food or drugstores that have some weight loss evidence behind them: Calcium, Fiber, Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), Green tea extract, Meal replacements, Orlistat, an over-the-counter weight loss drug.
However,
you should always check with your doctor before taking any type of supplement.
Even supplements can have side effects and may interfere with medications you
take. And, when it comes to weight loss, there are no quick fixes. A healthy
eating plan and regular physical exercise should be the foundation of any
weight loss program.
Calcium
Researchers
found that dieting women who received 1,000 mg of calcium supplements each day
lost, on average, more weight and more body fat than women taking a placebo. And
those researchers who have found a connection between calcium and weight loss
hypothesize that dietary calcium might play a role in the breakdown and storage
of fat. Additionally, the weight loss that has sometimes been observed in
people who eat dairy may have something to do with specific dairy proteins and
magnesium, another important mineral abundant in dairy products.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
Some
studies have found that CLA diet supplements can help you lose body fat and
increase lean body mass. When a group of overweight people took 3.2 grams of
CLA each day for six months, they lost more body fat than people taking a
placebo and gained less holiday weight during the winter months.
Fiber
Things
that delay gastric emptying and stay in the stomach longer theoretically will
make you feel fuller for a longer period of time,” says Sasha Stiles, MD, an obesity expert at Tufts Medical Center.
“There’s enough fairly good research to show that an appropriate amount of
fiber, such as bran or psyllium,
can do this.” A recent study found that overweight and obese people who took a
fiber diet supplement each day reported less hunger after meals thanas people
taking a placebo, and there was a trend for those using a fiber supplement to
lose more weight.
If
you decide to increase your fiber intake from food or diet supplements, be sure
to add fiber to your diet slowly. Drink plenty of fluids to avoid becoming
constipated.
The National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine
recommends that men under age 50 consume 38 grams of fiber a day, and 30 grams
a day after age 50. Women under age 50 should consume 25 grams of fiber per
day, and 21 grams per day after age 50. Most people only get about half of this
amount.
Green Tea Extract
There
are components in green tea extract that have shown some effects on lowering
body weight, these are are catechins, caffeine and theanine.
One
recent report found that daily green tea extract supplements helped obese men
and women lose weight and lower their body mass index (BMI -- an indicator of
body fat). Green tea extract also helped reduce amounts of dangerous belly fat,
which has been linked to an increased risk of death. Not only that, green tea
extract lowered blood pressure and LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol at the same time.
Meal Replacements
Experts
agree that the most proven weight loss supplements are meal replacements,
including bars and shakes.
“There’s very good scientific literature
around meal replacements that is encouraging -- this is a strategy for some
people that is efficient and safe,” says Steven
R. Smith, MD, professor and assistant to the executive director for
clinical research at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
“For
folks who adopt that strategy, there’s pretty good long-term success,” says
Smith. “The reason for that is that it’s simple, it’s structured and it allows
people to continue to enjoy food with their evening meal.”
Over-the-Counter Orlistat
Technically,
Orlistat is a medicine, not a supplement. However, it’s approved by the FDA for
sale without a prescription (brand name Alli), thus many people consider it a
diet supplement.
“This
is the one that has the data behind it,” says Caroline Apovian, MD, the director of the Center for Nutrition and Weight
Management at Boston Medical Center. “It blocks 25% of the fat calories
eaten from being absorbed.” Orlistat helps people lose weight as long as they
also follow a diet and exercise. But it can have some unpleasant intestinal
side effects. Be sure to follow the product’s recommendations to limit fat
intake to minimize potentially embarrassing problems with anal leakage and gas.
General Suggestions for Using Weight Loss Supplements
If
you do use weight loss supplements, be aware that the vast majority of products
sold as diet supplements are not regulated by the FDA. To make sure that the
product you are purchasing has undergone quality control testing, look for diet
supplements that bear a United States Pharmacopeia (USP) seal or that have
passed assembly on the ConsumerLab.com website.
Be
sure to ask your doctor about taking weight loss supplements before you use
them. Avoid products with excessive levels of caffeine, which can cause side
effects, such as increased heart rate and blood pressure.
Condensed from: http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/lifestyle-guide-11/diet-weight-loss-supplements
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