In the past two
decades, Americans have become obsessed with losing weight. As a result,
they have spent billions of dollars every year on appetite suppressants, fat
burners, and fat binders. The purpose of this paper is not to endorse any
type of weight loss product. Rather, it is to provide information for the
informed consumer.
Appetite Suppressants
Many people think that their weight problem is caused by not knowing when to
stop eating. They reason that if they don’t feel hungry, they won’t eat as
much and will lose weight. The appetite suppressant was designed to lessen a
person’s psychological motivation for food. Phenylpropanolamine (PPA), one
of the most widely used appetite suppressants, affects the hypothalamus, a
control center in the brain. PPA interrupts the ability of the hypothalamus
to tell the body when it’s hungry. This curbs the appetite and the
individual wants less food. By eating less, a person loses weight. PPA is
found in Dexatrim, Vitaslim, Hungrex and Acutrim. PPA along with diet and
exercise promotes weight loss. You must stay on PPA or your hunger will
return and you will most likely regain your weight. The most common side
effects include thirst, irritability, palpitation, tiredness and
jitteriness. Major side effects include cardiac arrhythmias, intracerebral
hemorrhage, acute dystonia, myocardial injury, psychosis, cerebral arteritis
and hypersensitive crisis.
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Fat Burners
A fat burner does two things. It acts on the hypothalamus, the region of the
brain that helps to regulate appetite. It also causes the release of certain
brain chemicals that trigger the body’s “fight or flight” mechanism,
preparing it to take action. In effect, the body burns extra calories to be
able to respond to a physical or emotional attack. To stay ready for the
attack that never comes, the body keeps burning calories even when it is at
rest. Until 2004, fat burners usually contained ephedrine, caffeine and
aspirin as their active ingredients. After the FDA banned the use of
ephedrine in diet pills, some manufacturers began using herbal ephedra or Ma
huang. Others used Citrus aurantium (CA) and green tea extract (GTE). CA,
also known as Bitter Orange, comes from manadarin orange peels, seville
orange juice, and certain types of potatoes. One of its primary active
ingredients, synephrine, acts similar to ephedrine in the body. Scientists
have said that combining synephrine, caffeine and other substances found in
weight-loss products, can lead to high blood pressure, heart attacks, and
strokes. Most health professionals agree that the risks of synephrine far
outweigh any potential weight loss benefits. GTE is ephedra-free. Recent
studies have found that it may play a role in stimulating thermogenesis (fat
burning) and increasing calorie expenditure. GTE contains catechins, which
increase norepinephrine levels in the brain and prepare the body for “fight
or flight.” In high doses, GTE and caffeine may result in heart
palpitations, insomnia, and other negative effects.
For Further Information on Fat Burners
Fat Binders
Fat binders are also known as fat magnets. They claim to be able to lower
cholesterol and contribute to weight loss. These products usually contain
chitosan. It is derived from chitin, a polysaccharide found in the
exoskeletons of shrimp, lobster, and crabs. Chitosan is supposed to cause
weight loss by binding fats in the stomach and preventing them from being
digested and absorbed. Although chitosan can decrease fat absorption, the
amount in fat burners is too small to have much effect on cholesterol
levels. Your doctor can prescribe a number of drugs which can actually lower
cholesterol. Both the British Advertising Standards Authority and the FDA
have won suits against advertisers of chitosan. As a result, advertisers
must make clear in future that the product had not been proven to aid
slimming or prevent weight gain.
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Diet Pills
The problems of using diet pills to lose
weight
