Speed up your metabolism to burn more calories. You can try diet pills, but aerobic exercise and strength training work better. There is no magic way to lose weight. To shed unwanted pounds you must burn more calories than you eat every day. Use caution when taking diet pills. Many ingredients in diet pills once considered safe by the Food and Drug Administration are now banned for consumer use, including over-the-counter ephedra and a prescription drug called sibutramine.
Metabolism
Metabolism is the processes your body uses to convert what you eat into energy. This includes the energy your body uses while it's at rest, to breathe, to circulate your blood and to adjust your hormone levels. Your basic metabolic rate depends on your body size, fat-to-muscle ratio, your gender and your age. Larger people have a higher metabolism and burn more calories than smaller folks. People with a higher muscle to fat ration have a higher metabolism. As you age and your muscle mass decreases, your metabolism slows down.
Thermogenic Therapy
The theory behind thermogenic therapy is certain substances can increase the energy in your cells. As a result your metabolism speeds up, resulting in fat loss. The University of Maryland Medical Center lists some ingredients in thermogenic products including hydroxycitrate, chromium and L-caritine. It cautions there is little to no evidence that these ingredients speed up your metabolism or help you lose weight. In fact, these substances could cause harm. Check with your health care professional before adding thermogenic supplements to your daily regimen.
Carbohydrate Metabolism
Chromium picolate supplements are purported to speed up the rate of your carbohydrate metabolism. Taking chromium supplements did not influence body weight in overweight adults either with or without diabetes, according to information from faculty at Harvard Medical School and published in the November 2004 issue of the journal "American Family Physician." In short-term trials, participants did not report significant adverse side effects with daily dosages of 200 to 400 mcg. The researchers caution the long-term safety of chromium picolate is uncertain.
Considerations
Diet pills claiming to speed up your metabolism may contain questionable ingredients. Ingredients such as bitter orange, chromium picolate and country mallow are purported to speed up your metabolism, but the claims are unsubstantiated, according to information from MayoClinic.com. Diet pills may contain ingredients that cause side effects. Consult with your health care professional before combining diet pills with medications or other dietary supplements.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Weight Control and Diet Medications; May 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Metabolism and Weight Loss: How You Burn Calories; October 2009
- "American Family Physician"; Common Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss; Robert B. Saper; November 2004
- MayoClinic.com; Over The Counter Weight Loss Pills -- Do They Work?; February 2010
- Drugs.com; Meridia
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