Thursday, May 7, 2009

Ever think about using dietary supplements to aid in weight loss?

By Kathy Forcey

What do you think of when you consider weight loss dietary supplements? Do you consider whether they are good for you? Will they affect your weight loss quest positively, negatively, or have no affect at all? People who are looking for a quick and easy to solution to weight loss often consider over the counter supplements.

In addition to diet and exercise, many people add a weight loss dietary supplement to jumpstart their weight loss efforts. Dietary supplements consist of a combination of herbs, plants, amino acids, and vitamins. They should only be added to your weight loss regimen with the approval of your doctor.

Because weight loss supplements are not usually reviewed by the FDA, you must use caution when taking these. They are not subject to the standards that other medications must pass. Only if they are deemed by the FDA as not being suitable for human consumption would these supplements be discontinued from being sold.

A weight loss dietary supplement that was banned from being sold is ephedra. Ephedra contributes to depression and chronic headaches, will cause blood pressure to rise, can cause seizures, and can even lead to death. Sometimes what you read on the label isn't what is actually found in the supplement, because these pills are not regulated by the FDA.

Ever since ephedra was recalled from the market, bitter orange has been touted as being safe although its effectiveness has been unproven. Its effects on the body may be similar to those of ephedra. Bitter orange as a weight loss dietary supplement has not yet been recalled, although it has been shown to be unsafe and unhealthy.

Chitosan and guar gum are two weight loss dietary supplements available that have been shown to be ineffective in achieving weight loss. Consumers are now discouraged from using these products. It is not known what long term affects these supplements will have on people because they are untested and no studies have been done. No study has been done that shows either product helps people with weight loss or appetite.

St. John's Wart and green tea are reportedly helpful in weight loss. When used together with diet and exercise both of these have proven to be effective weight loss dietary supplements. Green Tea can come as pills and patches if you would like a change from the traditional tea form. - 23802

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