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Over-the-Counter Herbs for Weight Loss

Feb 10, 2011 | By Charlotte Waterworth
Over-the-Counter Herbs for Weight Loss
Photo Credit green tea image by Ragne Kabanova from Fotolia.com

Being overweight increases the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes, but losing excess pounds often presents a challenge. Although reducing your calorie intake and exercise is the only proven method of losing weight, some herbs may also aid weight loss by helping your body to burn fat and reducing hunger. However, scientific evidence to show they are effective is limited. Always discuss over-the-counter herbal remedies for weight loss with a health care professional.

Examples

A number of herbal supplements may help you to lose weight, including green tea and hoodia. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, compounds found in green tea may boost metabolism and help you burn fat. Hoodia is a type of cactus, that according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, was used by African tribesmen to ease hunger pangs during spells of starvation. Both of these herbs are available over the counter in capsule and tablet form, or you can consume green tea as a beverage.

Effectiveness

The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center notes that clinical studies examining the efficacy of hoodia in humans are lacking. Writing in the October 2010 issue of the "Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics," A.M. Whelan et al. note that unpublished data from two small trials reported promising results with no adverse events, but add that unanswered questions remain regarding the use of hoodia for weight loss. A review of data collected from clinical studies involving green tea, published in the January 2010 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," concludes that compounds found in green tea cause statistically significant reductions in body mass index, body weight and waist circumference.

Safety

RxList notes that there is not enough information to know whether or not hoodia is safe. MedlinePlus states that green tea is likely safe for most adults, but adds that drinking more than five cups daily may cause side effects including nausea, tremor, restlessness, irritability and insomnia. MedlinePlus adds that consuming 150 mg to 200 mg per kilogram of body weight may even be fatal.

Considerations

Green tea and hoodia may not be suitable weight loss aids for everyone. For example, green tea use is contraindicated in a large number of conditions, including anemia, anxiety disorders, diabetes, glaucoma and high blood pressure. Avoid both herbs if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Green tea may interact with other drugs you may be taking, including stimulants, birth control pills, lithium, anticoagulants, estrogens and some anti-cancer drugs. If you have any doubts about whether it is safe to use these herbs, consult your doctor.

References

Article reviewed by Christine Brncik Last updated on: Feb 10, 2011

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