Over half of the people in the United States express a desire to lose weight, and an even higher fraction is classified as above an ideal weight. From diet books and low-calorie foods and beverages to group slimming programs such as Weight Watchers and infomercials pushing miracle remedies, Americans have demonstrated an eagerness to try virtually anything to trim down, including herbal supplements. Use caution when trying herbal remedies.
Green Tea
Green tea is purported to offer a wide array of health benefits, many of them attributed to substances called catechins, which are a class of polyphenol antioxidant compounds. A study published in 2009 in the "Journal of Nutrition" demonstrated that green tea in conjunction with caffeine and 20 to 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise resulted in significantly greater loss of abdominal fat than a placebo beverage plus caffeine and exercise alone. Another study reported by the University of Maryland Medical Center showed that a combination of green tea and caffeine led to greater weight loss and improved weight maintenance in overweight and moderately obese individuals.
Guarana Preparations
Guarana, a plant native to the Amazon Basin containing large amounts of caffeine, has been shown to induce significant weight loss when consumed in conjunction with yerba mate and damiana. Researchers in the "Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics" attribute this effect not to direct modulation of metabolic rate, but to a delay in the emptying of stomach contents, which in turn leads to sensations of stomach fullness comparatively early in the course of meals. Use caution when trying guarana.
Garcinia Cambogia
Garcinia cambogia, the active ingredient of which is hydrocitric acid, may promote weight loss by suppressing appetite and inhibiting an enzyme called citrate lyase, which assists in the synthesis of triglycerides in the body. It is normally used in conjunction with other herbs. Clinical studies have yielded mixed results, with some demonstrating statistically significant weight loss and others not suggesting this effect, reports the Sacramento State College of Health & Human Services. Use caution when trying garcinia cambogia.
Ephedra
According to a report by the Southern California Evidence-based Practice Center-RAND to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the use of ephedrine alkaloids, alone or in combination with caffeine, is associated with a statistically significant increase in weight loss over periods lasting up to six months. However, no studies have elucidated the long-term effects of these preparations, and such regimens are associated with two to three times the risk of nausea, vomiting, anxiety and other mood disturbances and heart palpitations compared with a placebo. Use caution if trying ephedra.
References
- Sacramento State College of Health & Human Services; "Drugs and Herbs for Weight Loss "; Carolyn VanCouwenberghe, RN, Ph.D.
- "Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics;" Weight Loss and Delayed Gastric Emptying Following a South American Herbal Preparation in Overweight Patients; May 2002
- National Institutes of Health: Ephedra and Ephedrine Alkaloids for Weight Loss and Athletic Performance
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Green Tea
- "Journal of Nutrition"; Green Tea Catechin Consumption Enhances Exercise-Induced Abdominal Fat Loss in Overweight and Obese Adults; February 2009
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