In the United States obesity is reaching epidemic levels. More and more people are turning to weight loss pills in hopes of shedding those unsightly pounds. With the New Year right around the corner, stores will have their shelves well stocked with weight loss pills in anticipation of the after holiday rush. But do weight loss pills really work?
Good weight loss pills work to some degree, but not as significantly as some may think. When ephedra was introduced back in the early 90's, many considered it a miracle pill. I was one of them. The combination of ephedra along with aspirin and caffeine, burned fat like no other compound since.
Unfortunately along with its fat burning strength, ephedra also made your heart race uncontrollably and was blamed for a few deaths as well. Needless to say ephedra has been banned by the FDA and is no longer available in stores.
Are there any other products that work?
Yes, but ephedra set the bar very high and there really isn't anything new (save for possibly one) that matches its fat burning power.
The most popular weight loss pills today are those containing Green tea and Hoodia. Green tea works through a process called thermogenesis (fat burning), while Hoodia is claimed to be an appetite suppressant. Both are said to be effective at shedding the fat, but nothing like ephedra.
There is however a natural compound that shows great promise in preventing fructose from converting to fat.
What's all the fuss about fructose?
Fructose may be the reason why so many Americans are obese today. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition was quoted as saying:
"evidence that a marked increase in the use of HFCS, and therefore in total fructose consumption, preceded the obesity epidemic and may be an important contributor to this epidemic in the United States."
For the past thirty years fructose has virtually replaced cane sugar as the sweetener of choice for most manufacturers because of its low cost to produce. During this period there has been a 300% increase in the use of high fructose corn syrup and a 40% drop in the use of cane sugar.
What is this new natural substance?
This all natural compound is derived from the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis and Heartwood of Acacia. There more common names are Chinese skullcap and "Black catechu".
What does this compound do?
There are two obesity markers in the blood stream that this natural compound substantially decreases. Chronically obese people have high levels of these two markers. These natural compounds inhibit fat conversion via fructose pathways by down-regulating fat accumulation and up-regulating fat breakdown, thereby decreasing these two obesity markers.
A double blind clinical study was conducted by scientists at JSS Medical Research, Inc., in Montreal, Canada. Participants were between the ages of 40 and 75. This age group normally has the most difficult time losing weight. None of the subjects were given any physical activity or dietary advice.
The results were quite impressive. Subjects taking the natural compound lost an average of 7 percent of their bodyweight, while those not taking the natural compound did not lose any weight at all.
One can only imagine their results if they combined a sensible diet plan with a regular exercise program.
These compounds show a lot of promise and may very well hold the key to the obesity epidemic, especially for those who consume a lot of fructose in their diets. Always check with your physician before taking any weight loss supplement. - 16752
Good weight loss pills work to some degree, but not as significantly as some may think. When ephedra was introduced back in the early 90's, many considered it a miracle pill. I was one of them. The combination of ephedra along with aspirin and caffeine, burned fat like no other compound since.
Unfortunately along with its fat burning strength, ephedra also made your heart race uncontrollably and was blamed for a few deaths as well. Needless to say ephedra has been banned by the FDA and is no longer available in stores.
Are there any other products that work?
Yes, but ephedra set the bar very high and there really isn't anything new (save for possibly one) that matches its fat burning power.
The most popular weight loss pills today are those containing Green tea and Hoodia. Green tea works through a process called thermogenesis (fat burning), while Hoodia is claimed to be an appetite suppressant. Both are said to be effective at shedding the fat, but nothing like ephedra.
There is however a natural compound that shows great promise in preventing fructose from converting to fat.
What's all the fuss about fructose?
Fructose may be the reason why so many Americans are obese today. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition was quoted as saying:
"evidence that a marked increase in the use of HFCS, and therefore in total fructose consumption, preceded the obesity epidemic and may be an important contributor to this epidemic in the United States."
For the past thirty years fructose has virtually replaced cane sugar as the sweetener of choice for most manufacturers because of its low cost to produce. During this period there has been a 300% increase in the use of high fructose corn syrup and a 40% drop in the use of cane sugar.
What is this new natural substance?
This all natural compound is derived from the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis and Heartwood of Acacia. There more common names are Chinese skullcap and "Black catechu".
What does this compound do?
There are two obesity markers in the blood stream that this natural compound substantially decreases. Chronically obese people have high levels of these two markers. These natural compounds inhibit fat conversion via fructose pathways by down-regulating fat accumulation and up-regulating fat breakdown, thereby decreasing these two obesity markers.
A double blind clinical study was conducted by scientists at JSS Medical Research, Inc., in Montreal, Canada. Participants were between the ages of 40 and 75. This age group normally has the most difficult time losing weight. None of the subjects were given any physical activity or dietary advice.
The results were quite impressive. Subjects taking the natural compound lost an average of 7 percent of their bodyweight, while those not taking the natural compound did not lose any weight at all.
One can only imagine their results if they combined a sensible diet plan with a regular exercise program.
These compounds show a lot of promise and may very well hold the key to the obesity epidemic, especially for those who consume a lot of fructose in their diets. Always check with your physician before taking any weight loss supplement. - 16752
About the Author:
Author Deen Dragonovich has over 30 years in health and fitness and has studied fructose blockers along with weight loss pills for several years. He also delivers valuable weight loss tips with nutrition and fitness.
