Herbs As Appetite Suppressants

Botanicals and other natural products have been used for centuries for health reasons. Many are used as appetite suppressants, either added to supplements or brewed in teas. In 2007, nearly 20 percent of American adults reported using natural products for their health, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). If you plan to use herbal appetite suppressants, do so under the guidance of a medical professional trained in herbal medicine who will have knowledge of side effects and interactions.

Bitter Orange

Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for indigestion, nausea and constipation, bitter orange today is often used for appetite suppression and as an ingredient in many herbal weight-loss products. However, the active chemical in bitter orange is similar to the active chemical in ephedra, which was banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration when it was linked to increased blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. No evidence exists to show bitter orange is any safer than ephedra, and there have been reports of fainting, heart attack and stroke in healthy people after taking bitter orange--both alone or combined with caffeine. The NCCAM says bitter orange is not safe to use as a dietary supplement.

Guarana

Guarana has more caffeine than coffee and is found in many diet aids and energy drinks. Caffeine is a stimulant that, among other things, readies your fight-or-flight response and suppresses appetite, says biochemist Holly Phaneuf, author of "Herbs Demystified: A Scientist Explains How the Most Common Herbal Remedies Really Work." A 2001 study reported in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics showed that guarana, combined with damiana and yerba mate, delayed gastric emptying and may have contributed to retaining a feeling of fullness. But Phaneuf cited a 2003 study in Phytotherapy Research in which mice fed only guarana did not show the same effect. People who take MAO inhibitors and people with high blood pressure or heart disease should avoid guarana because of its stimulant properties.

Hoodia

Hoodia is marketed as an appetite suppressant, but as of 2010, no studies were published on the effects of this herb in humans. In Africa's Kalahari Desert, the San Bushmen eat it to suppress hunger during long hunts. According to Phaneuf, a component of hoodia called P57 fools the brain into thinking your stomach is full. Though preliminary evidence suggests the effect is dramatic, in 2010, research into hoodia was in early stages, its safety and effectiveness unknown. Many products marketed as hoodia contain no hoodia at all.

Yerba Mate

Like guarana, yerba mate contains caffeine, but the caffeine is in similar amounts to coffee. Yerba mate contains other stimulants, too, which you can also obtain through coffee, tea, chocolate, cola or guarana and which have proven benign in moderate amounts. Yerba mate may suppress appetite, though in the 2001 study mentioned above, it didn't cause weight loss when it was taken for a year with guarana and damiana. Most important, Phaneuf warned that yerba mate poses a cancer risk from unknown ingredients and has been linked to cancers of the head and neck, mouth and throat, lungs, kidneys and bladder. As with guarana, avoid yerba mate if you have heart disease or high blood pressure, or if you take an MAO inhibitor.