One of the hardest things about weight loss is trying to coordinate increased exercise with a reduced-calorie diet. Forcing your body to do more with less is fighting against nature, and many people find themselves exhausted before they ever get to the treadmill. The supplement industry has stepped in with various stimulants, the most popular being caffeine, ephedrine and yohimbe -- one is safe in moderation, one is illegal and the other is all but unknown.
Herbal Supplements
Ephedrine, caffeine and yohimbe all come from plants. Ephedrine comes from ma huang, yohimbe is the bark of the yohimbe tree, and caffeine is found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cacao beans and other food plants. Caffeine is the most well-known, as it has been synthetically duplicated for inclusion into a variety of foods, beverages and medications, but ephedrine and yohimbe are also familiar supplements store wares. Proponents attribute a variety of health benefits to each, and all three are sold as weight-loss aids, either alone or in a larger herbal formula.
Physical Effects
All three substances can be considered stimulants. All three cause certain bodily systems to speed up -- yohimbe increases blood flow, ephedrine increases your heart rate and caffeine stimulates the central nervous system. These effects can contribute to weight loss by increasing energy levels and allowing you to exercise harder and longer than you otherwise would, increasing your overall calorie burn. Caffeine and ephedrine also increase your body temperature, which may increase the rate at which your body burns stored fat for energy.
Safety
Because caffeine, yohimbe and ephedrine can all increase your blood pressure, they should never be used together, or your blood pressure could rise to dangerous levels. MedlinePlus rates yohimbe as "possibly unsafe," noting that death is possible at high doses, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned ephedrine as unsafe in 2004 after reports of death and other serious side effects. Caffeine is considered safe in moderate doses, but some people may experience unpleasant side effects such as anxiety, insomnia and irritability at any dose.
Effectiveness
Caffeine and ephedrine have both been proved to increase weight loss in people following a diet and exercise plan, but the jury is still out on yohimbine. Most research surrounding this tree bark related to sexual dysfunction, especially that caused by antidepressant use, and MedlinePlus rates it as "possibly effective" for that purpose. For weight loss and other conditions, there was not enough evidence as of 2011 to reach a conclusion. If you really feel you need a stimulant, stick to caffeine -- a cup of coffee or two won't hurt you, but a dose of ephedrine might, and yohimbe is still too unknown.
References
- Vanderbilt University Psychology Department; Ephedrine - Secret to Weight Loss?; Wendy Dickson
- "Scientific American"; How Does Caffeine Affect the Body?; Neal Smatresk; Feb. 15, 1999
- MedlinePlus: Yohimbe
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration; FDA Acts to Remove Ephedra-Containing Dietary Supplements From Market; Nov. 23, 2004
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