Are Weight Loss Supplements Safe?
There are so many dietary supplements on the market aimed at aiding in weight loss. The problem is, not all supplements are healthy, or have ingredients that help you lose weight in a healthy way. Many supplement ingredients can be dangerous to your body, and should be investigated before use. Fortunately, not all weight-loss supplement ingredients are dangerous.
What to Look For in a Safe Dietary Supplement:
Always be aware of what you are putting in your body. Just because a supplement says its ingredients are beneficial in slimming your waistline and shrinking your pants size, it may not necessarily be true. On the other hand, other ingredients have been proven very beneficial. Here are a few ingredients you should be happy to see in your dietary supplements.
Acai – Acai is a berry cram-packed with antioxidants and nutrients that promote natural cleansing and rejuvenation in the body. The natural nutrients in acai can boost energy and can leave you feeling cleaner and lighter from the start.
Ginseng – This root is known to calm the body and mind. The more stressed a person is, the more likely they are going to feel too busy to work-out or to watch what they eat. The calming nature of this herb can aid in stress relief, as well as boost the immune system, and increase energy.
Chromium – Chromium is a mineral that is said to promote fat loss in the body. Several studies have shown that people who intake between 200 and 400 micrograms of chromium picolinate ups the chances of losing weight (about 2.5 pound per week). Other studies showed that chromium helped decrease fat and increase muscle mass in the body, with no weight loss or gain in some subjects. Some people had no results. Overall though, enough studies have been done to prove that chromium can be helpful.
What to Avoid:
Supplements come and supplements go. Hydroxycut was banned in 2009 because it was proving to be disastrous towards the liver, but after the formula was changed around and proven safe, the supplement was back on the market. Here are some ingredients that you should avoid when choosing a dietary supplement.
Ephedra – Ephedra is an extract from the ephedra sinica plant. It is a stimulant that increases blood pressure and heart rate, and can be dangerous to the body. The substance became banned by the American government after Steve Bechler, baseball player for the Baltimore Orioles died from heatstroke caused because he had ephedra in his system. The substance ephedrine is what is said to be the cause of negative side effects in ephedra. Many companies now produce what is called “ephedrine-free” ephedra, in which they substitute bitter orange for ephedrine. It is unclear as to whether these legal ephedra substitutes are any less harmful than the original.
Bitter Orange – After the ban of ephedra, many dietary supplement companies began to use bitter orange as a stimulant in their supplements. No formal studies have been done to determine the helpfulness or harmfulness of bitter orange. Cases of stroke, chest pain, and colitis have been reported as a result of taking bitter orange. Be aware that bitter orange can be found under other names as well.
Guar gum – Guar gum is extracted from the guar bean, and is a known thermogenic, meaning it can increase your body heat. Though having increased body meat is beneficial to your metabolism and simulating exercise, thermogenics can be very dangerous. Overheating is a big problem associated with guar gum and other thermogenics, and can lead to anxiety, addiction, insomnia, gastrointestinal problems, and heart complications.
Conclusion:
Although some dietary supplements have side effects, many supplements can be more beneficial than harmful towards health and weight loss. Staying educated about the ingredients found in supplements can greatly help locate the best and healthiest fit for anyone. Keep these healthy and unhealthy ingredients in mind as you look for your next dietary supplement. With a little research, you can find the weight-loss supplement for you.
