Fitness Goop

Weight-loss aids – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Weight-loss aids, Diet pills, Supplements, they come with several names but the goal is the always the same, to boost your metabolism and help lose weight. The appeal of losing weight quickly is hard to pass up, especially in today’s image driven society. But do over-the-counter weight-loss pills and products lighten anything but your wallet? And are they a safe option for weight loss? Here’s a look at some popular non-prescription weight-loss aids and what you should know about each.

Personally I always recommend exercise and healthy food choices for weight loss because that is the foundation of my beliefs for a healthy life. However, a vast amount of the population are frustrated with not getting the results they want from exercise and proper nutrition and are exploring the world of weight-loss aids. Some of these products are good and may help in shedding those extra pounds, but there are also very dangerous dietary supplements that you should watch out for. 

Beginning with the “Good” choices; Green Tea Extract, Yerba Mate, Hoodia Extract, CLA and Gymnema Sylvestre. Green Tea has thermogenic properties, which means that it will increase your energy (calorie) burning, which is why its extract is a popular natural weight-loss product or ingredient in combination formulas. When I visited South America I immediately became aware of a popular drink, perhaps as Starbucks is to North Americans, called Yerba Mate. The leaves of yerba mate are used as an ingredient in diet aids and contain caffeine. It is important to understand that it is this caffeine content that allows for a “thermogenic effect” which aids in weight loss. 

Another appetite suppressant that has been around for thousands of years is Hoodia Extract. A study published in the journal Phytochemistry (2007) indicated that hoodia can suppress appetite through its ability to send signals to the brain that the body is no longer hungry. Something to watch for if you are thinking of using this product would be the results from large human clinical trials. Another popular weight-loss aid is Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which is the fatty acid naturally found in meat and dairy products. Research with CLA is showing positive effects with humans having less body fat and an increase in lean muscle mass. 

Finally there is Gymnema Sylvestre, and although its name is makes you want to exercise, it really stands for “sugar destroyer”. Gymnema has been found to help balance blood sugar levels as well as reduce sweet cravings, which could really be helpful for those who have an extreme sweet tooth! If I was going to choose from this group, the herb Gymnema combined with chromium would definitely be my choice.

Now here are the “Bad and Ugly” choices. The FDA has banned ephedra, saying “dietary supplements containing ephedra present an unreasonable risk of illness or injury, and should not be consumed.” Ephedra (ma huang) and ephedrine, can be dangerous especially when combined in weight-loss products with other stimulants such as caffeine. It is also important to know that ephedra can cause such side effects as irregular heartbeat, insomnia, and elevated blood pressure. As far as weight loss is concerned, don’t be surprised if you regain every pound you lose once you stop taking supplements containing ephedra or other stimulants. Not only are these products dangerous to your health, but can also be highly addicting. I have been approached by clients or others wanting to know if they should use the ingredients found in this group and my response is always, stay away! 

In sum, if you’re like the many of today’s health conscious people and want to try using weight-loss aids, my best piece of advice is research what you are going to put in your body and remember the safest and most effective way to boost your metabolism is not through a supplement or drug, but with regular physical activity.

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