Weight loss
Many people attempt to control their body weight in order to enhance personal health, appearance, and self image. Obesity and an increasingly overweight population are a continuing problem. Obesity and overweight are associated with diabetes, hypertension and other diseases that cause morbidity, mortality and high health-care expenditure. To combat this problem, many diets, exercise programs, pharmaceuticals, and
herbal supplements have been developed. Medical complications arise from diabetes include athreosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, retinal damage, neurological damage, and blindness. Diabetes may be controlled with insulin and in some cases through careful diet. There is a need for a safe and effective treatment for diabetes with minimal side effects and without the invasive procedure, such as insulin injection. Weight loss is considered the cornerstone of treatment in people with Type II diabetes because it allows the body to better use insulin and thus lowers blood sugar. Out-of-control levels of blood sugar are responsible for many of the devastating side effects of diabetes. Safe weight loss plans must consider both the diet composition and the rate of weight loss to minimize the risk of developing diseases such as hepatic lipidosis. Weight loss requires time, patience and focus. Sustainable weight loss takes weeks to months to achieve and it is easy to lose control over these time frames. Weight loss methods and techniques have involved some form of reducing caloric consumption or increasing exercise output to result in utilization of fat stores as an energy source. Common methods to control or lose weight include, for example, a reduced-calorie diet that manages fat, carbohydrate, and protein intake; pharmaceuticals, such as amphetamine-like agents to affect the hypothalamic center and reduce the hunger sensation; and a physical activity/exercise program. Reducing consumption-type therapies have included various sympathomimetic agents, such as amphetamines and derivatives to increase metabolic rate while reducing the individuals appetite in an effort to reduce caloric consumption. Weight control can be achieved through diet and exercise. While a regular program of exercise is recommended, many people find it difficult to start an exercise regimen and continue with the exercise regimen for an extended period of time. Regular exercise, while burning calories, can also increase a person's appetite. The other part of the weight control process is to diet. Dieting may take the form of limiting food intake to a specific caloric amount, eating measured portions of a variety of food products, fasting, or limiting food intake to certain types of food while eliminating the intake of other types of food. The trend to increased consumption of sugar and refined carbohydrate in excess of energy needs results in a metabolic and hormonal status favoring the formation and storage of fat.
Weight loss depends on mobilization and metabolism of fat at the cellular level. This requires the metabolic process of lipolysis and encompasses the release of stored fat from fat cells. In all mammals the process and rate of lipolysis are highly regulated by the system of catecholamine hormones.
Natural supplements can support weight management, for example, by affecting the body's metabolism or reducing appetite. A wide variety of formulations exist to supplement the diet to assist in the management of body weight. There are a wide variety of
weight loss supplements that are known or used for assisting in weight loss or control. Diet aids may include components that are diuretics or mild laxatives, energy boosters or stimulants, agents to increase metabolism, agents to prevent fat storage or burn fat, appetite suppressants, fragrant sympathetic nervous system-stimulants, relaxants, agents to reduce stress or other materials that contribute to a state of being more amenable to dieting by losing or controlling weight. A preferred combination of effects or activities is a fat reducer, an appetite suppressant, a diuretic, and an agent to increase metabolism. Examples of diuretics or mild laxatives include dandelion root, corn silk, uva ursi leaf, cleavers herb, red clover blossom, parsley leaf, olive leaf, chickory root, black currant (extract of cassis), or senna leaf. Energy boosters or stimulants include caffeine, yerba mate leaf, guarana (paullinia cupana) seed, kola nut seed, and galangal root. Materials believed to increase metabolism, prevent fat storage, or burn fat (thermogenic agents or fat reducers) are guggul extract, guarana (paullinia cupana) seed, hydroxycitrate, carnitine, acetyl carnitine, cayenne extract,
niacin, green tea leaf, wheat bran, lecithin, guggulsterone, salicin or white willow bark, chitosan, lecithin, isomerized safflower glycerides, and Garcinia cambogia. Appetite suppressant components include Hoodia gordonii, fennel seed, Griffonia simplicifolia, pine nut, star anise, caralluma fimbriata stem, Korean pine nut (pinus koraiensis) seed oil, or L-tyrosine. Fragrant sympathetic nervous system-stimulating compounds, such as fennel oil, pepper oil, hyssop oil, sage oil, grapefruit oil, estragon oil, eucalyptus oil, cinnamon oil, clove oil, ylang ylang oil, ginger oil, geranium oil, rosemary oil, olibanum, limonene, pinene, myrcene or benzyl benzoate. One or more other substances safe for human consumption can be added to aid in weight loss. These include natural, synthetic, or any combination of such substances. Some these substance include
L-carnitine, L-ornithine, L-tyrosine, L-tryptophan, L-phenylalanine, gamma-linolenic acid, chromium, glucose tolerance factor, vanadyl sulfate, Gymnema sylvestere, bromelain,
pancreatin, papain,
coenzyme Q10, curcumin, barberry, bearberry, choline, inositol,
human growth hormone, silymarin, teucrium polium,
DHEA (dehydroepiandosterone, caffeine, xanthines, kola nut, yerbamate, medium chain triglycerides,
hydroxycitric Acid (HCA), kelp, lecithin, dihydroxyacetone, pyruvate, creatine, iodine, niacin, bladderwrack, and B vitamins.
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