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Some products promoted as natural weight loss aids are not particularly safe. Products that act as stimulants, even if they are "natural" can be hazardous and despite the fact that they may promote fast weight loss early on, because they cause the body to overproduce the stres hormone cortisol, they actually promote weight gain in the long run. So, what supplements and products are there that can safely and effectively enhance natural weight loss? Well, first of all we need a reality check. Nutritional supplements and herbal weight loss products should be considered an aid for weight loss, not a weight loss program in and of themselves. Even the most useful of the natural weight loss supplements (and for that matter, even diet drugs) provide only very modest benefits when used alone, without also being on a good diet and exercise regimen. In order to get maximum benefit from any natural weight loss product, you must combine it with diet and exercise. No matter how good the advertising sounds and no matter how much you want to believe that a pill or potion is all you need to lose weight, the simple truth is that diet and exercise are absolutely necessary to effective lasting weight loss. That being said, there are some herbs and nutrients that do appear to enhance the weight loss effects of diet and exercise through either appetite suppression, increased metabolism, or the blocking of fat absorption from the digestive tract. Here's a rundown of things that may help: Chitosan is a fat-blocking agent derived from the shells of shrimp and other shellfish. Needless to say, this is not a good supplement for someone with shellfish allergies. Chitosan can have the side-effect of loose stools and a loss of bowel control. In addition, in addition to blocking fat absorption, it can also block the absorption of the fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K, so it is a good idea to supplement with these between meals. Chitosan is generally considered safe at doses of 1500 to 3000 mg per day separated into doses to be taken just before each meal along with 8 ounces of water. Chromium nicotinate can be taken at a level of 200 to 400 mg per day, preferably split into two or more doses taken with meals. It should be noted that this recommendation is for chromium nicotinate, NOT picolinate. Although chromium picolinate is often promoted as a supplement for weight loss, and it may in fact be an effective weight loss aid, the research on the picolinate form of chromium for weight loss has been contradictory, but there has been consistent indication that the nicotinate form does enhance weight loss. CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) is questionable in whether or not it helps with weight loss in humans. Animal studies did show fat burning effects and enhanced lean muscle development, but the effects in humans are still under investigation. Even so, it does appear to be relatively safe in daily doses not exceeding 1800 mg, and 300 to 600 mg can be taken before each meal to hopefully enhance weight loss. Green tea extract can be taken in total dosages of 100 to 400 mg per day, recommended to be split into two or more doses per day and taken between meals. Look for standardized extracts containing at least 90% total catechins for best results. Catechins from green tea appear to increase metabolism, and this occurs separately from the metabolic effects from the caffeine in the tea. Although the naturally-occurring caffeine in green tea tends to increase the effects of the catechins, because of the previously mentioned adverse long-term effects on weight loss from the use of stimulants, it is recommended that decaffeinated green tea extract be used. Part 2 of this article will continue with reviews of more popular natural weight loss aids.
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About the Article Author
Dr. George Best is a holistic healthcare practitioner in San Antonio, Texas. For more information, please visit his site on natural weight loss. For diet cooking tips, go to healthy eating meal plan.
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