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Diet Pills Containing Bitter Orange

Jul 22, 2011 | By Jessica Jacobs

Bitter orange extract, also known as synephrine, is the active compound of the fruit of the Citrus aurantium plant. Diet pill manufacturers commonly use bitter orange as a substitute for ephedrine in diet pills. Before using any diet pill or health supplement, whether it contains bitter orange or not, speak to a medical professional.

Bitter Orange Traditional and Current Uses

Traditional Chinese Medicine uses bitter orange to treat nausea, indigestion and constipation. According to "Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine," other herbalists and natural doctors recommend bitter orange to treat heartburn and nasal congestion and to support weight loss. Additionally, bitter orange is used to treat fungal infections such as athlete's foot and ringworm. However, currently there is no scientific evidence to support the medical use of bitter orange.

Bitter Orange

According to "DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine," bitter orange is a central nervous system stimulant that has not shown clinical effectiveness at promoting body fat loss. Caffeine enhances the stimulant effects of bitter orange. However, the combination of bitter orange and caffeine also magnifies the side effects associated with bitter orange. Bitter orange contains synephrine, a chemical similar to the active compound in ephedra. These chemicals cause migraines, elevated heart rate, fainting, hypertension, heart attack and stroke.

Health Concerns

According to "Wilderness Medicine," safety concerns exist about the use of bitter orange as a supplement because synephrine potentially leads to adverse cardiovascular reactions, including blood vessel constriction. In a case published in the March 2004 "Annals of Pharmacotherapy," a 55-year-old woman with no cardiac history suffered a heart attack after taking 300 mg of bitter orange in a health supplement. The authors of this article conclude that bitter orange may increase the risk for cardiovascular toxicity. However, the authors also state that further studies are needed to confirm how bitter orange affects cardiovascular health.

Bitter Orange Vs. Ephedrine

Bitter orange and ephedrine stimulate different parts of your brain by acting upon different receptors. One of the reasons why bitter orange is not as effective as ephedrine in burning fat is the receptor that ephedrine acts upon has the primary responsibility for burning fat; by contrast, the receptor that bitter orange acts upon does not burn fat. Both substances do, however, stimulate the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine, hormones that increase your heart rate and constrict your blood vessels.

References

Article reviewed by J.A. Rist Last updated on: Jul 22, 2011

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