Your metabolism is the sum of all the energy producing and consuming reactions that take place in your cells and tissues. Speeding up your metabolism can result in weight loss. The manufacturers of some dietary supplements claim their products speed up your metabolism; some do and some do not. Research suggests that supplements containing ephedrine, caffeine and chromium do increase your metabolic rate.
Caffeine
Most people associate caffeine with the ability to wake a person up. This wake-up effect occurs because the chemical increases blood flow to and the rate of oxygen metabolism in the brain. Aside from stimulating the central nervous system, caffeine also enhances energy metabolism in the peripheral tissues. Higher rates of energy metabolism result in increased muscle contractility, better neuromuscular signal transmission and higher adrenalin levels. Diet pill manufacturers often combine caffeine and ephedrine; the two chemicals work together to alter your metabolism in such a way as to encourage the body to burn fat and retain lean muscle mass.
Ephedrine
Ephedrine, like caffeine, stimulates the central nervous system. However, ephedrine also stimulates the adrenergic receptors located on peripheral tissues, essentially fooling the receptors into thinking that adrenaline has been released in the body. Adrenaline--a hormone that activates your "fight or flight" response--naturally increases the rate at which your body metabolizes energy as it prepares you to take action to defend yourself. Ephedrine in combination with caffeine increases thermogenesis--the production of heat by the body. To produce heat, your body must burn energy through a number of metabolic process. Ephedrine's combination of adrenergic activity and its tendency to increase thermogenesis means that it significantly increases your metabolic rate.
Chromium
A chromium supplement will cause your metabolism to run more efficiently. Chromium is a metal that your body does not produce naturally, and it is necessary for your body to carry out its normally metabolic activities. Without it, your tissues cannot properly metabolize carbohydrates. Extra carbohydrates might be turned into fat. A chromium supplement will increase the efficiency of your body's carbohydrate metabolism and thus encourage weight loss as well as preserve lean body tissue. However, you should know that chromium build up in cells can cause DNA damage that can conceivably lead to cell death or cancer. More research is necessary to determine the long-term effects of chromium supplements, so you should use them sparingly.
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