Are Weight Loss Supplements Worth It?

What do you think of the hundreds of weight loss supplements out there on the shelves today? Are they worth the money? Will they actually help you lose weight? How do you know which ones are going to work for you? Is there any proof that these products work?

I've taken some time and researched some of the most popular product to try to find the answers for you. The truth is, most products won't help you lose anything but money. There are a few, however, with some research behind them that prove that they actually work.

What are these supplements that work? It seems that only four products hold the best promise for those of us who want to slim down. They are Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), Hydroxycitic Acid (HCA), phaseolomine, and possibly 5-HTP.

1. Conjugated Linoleic Acid, CLA, has a number of research studies behind it. It is a fatty acid that has been found to reduce cancer risks, body fat and to increase lean muscle tissue. The Journal of Nutrition reported a Scandanavian Research team found CLA to increase the lean body mass of humans and also to decrease the fat mass. Subjects also had lower blodd fat and cholestrol after taking CLA. CLA does occur naturally in meat and dairy products, but the levels are pretty low. Also, if you're following a healthy low-fat diet, you tend to not get as much meat and dairy, so supplementation may be the answer for getting a healthy dose of CLA.

2. Hydroxycitic Acid, HCA, is derived from a fruit, Garcinia cambogia or Malabar tamarind. It seems to work by inhibiting an enzyme that converts carbohydrates to fat. It also seems to suppress the appetite. Studies on humans have had mixed results with one study showing significant weight loss in participants. Another study using a high fiber diet, showed HCA had no effect on weight loss. Critics think the high fiber diet prevented absorbtion of the HCA. So, if you're on a high fiber diet, HCA may not be for you.

3.Phaseolomine is derived from the white kidney bean. It works by reducing your body's absorbtion of starchy carbohydrates. Since you absorb fewer calories, you lose weight. Seems like this supplement would be great to take if you knew you were going to indulge. Research has also shown that you burn more fat while taking phaseolomine. Subjects in one study lost 10% of their body fat in 30 days. Phaseolomine is typically found in carb blocker products.

4.5HTP works by increasing the level of Serotonin in the brain resulting in more stable emotions, better sleep and weight loss. I take 5HTP myself and have found it to be an excellent appetite suppresant as well as a mild mood booster. In one study where women were given either a placebo or 5HTP and a 1200 calorie diet, those who took the placebo lost 2.28 pounds and those who took 5HTP lost 10.34 pounds. This was accomplished in 6 weeks. Are there other supplements that work? There may be others that will stand the test of time and research, but for now these are the best non-prescription supplements I've found to enhance your weight loss efforts. Good luck losing the weight you want to lose!

Valerie de Armas �2003
All Rights Reserved
valerie@best-weightloss.com

Valerie de Armas is editor of Best Weight Loss Tips, a free twice monthly neswletter that encourages healthy weight loss. For weight loss tips, tools and resources, visit http://www.best-weightloss.com and subscribe.

Are Weight Loss Supplements Right For You?
Are Weight Loss Supplements Right For You?By Tom Worsley The debate about whether supplements for weight loss are healthy or not will go on and on for years to come. There are good and bad points to using weight loss supplements. One of the bad points is that once you stop taking them you gain everything back that you lost to begin with. Most doctors will tell you that weight loss supplements are not necessary and that only a good controlled diet along with daily exercise is the only thing one needs to lose weight. This is true. however with today's working society with 2 parents work...

Is Your Goal Really Weight Loss?
Are you ashamed of your weight? Do you have a goal weight that you want to reach through weight loss? I�d say so, it�s been pushed into our brains many times over and over again that �weight loss� is what we want to accomplish. There are weight loss guides, weight loss supplements, and many other things that push �weight loss�. Many people even set their goals to be at a certain weight. Additionally, the medical community has developed an �ideal weight� chart, which can further add to the confusion about weight loss.Now, let me ask you a question. Is your goal really weight loss? Unles...

How Body Mass Index Works � Set Your Weight Loss Goals
Many people want to lose a few of those annoying pounds, but they just don�t know where to start. If only there was some sort of guide that would help dieters to set goals. Body mass index, or BMI, creates an opportunity for weight loss enthusiasts to determine their ideal body weight in order to set their goals.The i...

GVO

Aerobics - Do Hurricanes Affect Weight Loss? Weathering The Storm!
Do you know this year Florida will go through a surge in baby births? Think about it! More time spent...

Aerobics - Beating The Weight Loss Bandits
If you're on a weight loss program you're under constant attack - attack from the food bandits all around you.There is food waiting to ambush your weight loss efforts at every turn. It's there on every street corner...

Aerobics - fast Weight Loss�can You Really Lose 60lbs In 30 Days?
Is it better to lose 2lbs a day or 2lbs a week?Yes it�s very possible that you can lose 60lbs in 30 days but I don�t think you would want to and here�s the reason why:Let�s say you do lose 60lbs in 30 days� how much of that weight you lose do you think is going to be pure body fat? Remember-- body fat makes us look ugly. Anytime you try to lose more than 2lbs a week or 60lbs in 30 days (2lbs a day!)�A larger part of the weight you lose is only going to be water and muscle. Losing a lot of water and muscle weight does nothing to improve your looks and it slows down your metabolism

Aerobics - Weight Loss Recipe: Apricot Chicken
Just because you are watching your weight, doesn't mean the whole family can't enjoy your health enhancing meals! The kids will love "Apricot Chicken" and you will love it because ...

Aerobics - Fibre And Weight Loss: How Closely Are They Connected?
The incidences of deseases like obesity, diabetes, colon deseases etc.are minimal in countries where the population has a regular dose of fiber in their diet. Fiber is very important link in the weight loss puzzle. Fiber cannot be digested by the human digestive system and it passes out from the colons taking all the waste material with it. Fiber provides bulk and softens the stools therby helping in regular bowel movements and avoiding constipation. In the intestine, fiber produces a gel which binds the bile acids and this leads the lever to convert cholesterol into bile thereby reducing cholesterol levels. Fiber makes people feel less hungry on account of ...

Aerobics - Eight Weight Loss Tips

There are a lot of �crash� diets out there that promise that you�ll drop a considerable amount of weight in days or a week. I have tried a few of these, and in my experience the weight always comes back on, just as quickly.
One thing you don�t want to do if you are actually serious about losing weight is to follow these fad diets. After their ineffectiveness has been proven time and again, people will start to wise up to that particular diet, and will head off in search of a new craze.
Lets be honest, people want to lose weight and they want immediate results, but this is just wishful thinking. To lose weight permanently and effectively it will be a rather s...

Aerobics - One Of The Most Valuable Weight Loss Tools Available.
Meal replacements are one of the most valuable tools for weight loss. We know that the key to permanent and effective weight loss is to speed up our body's metabolism. Metabolism simply means the speed in which our body utilizes and burns through food. A fast metabolism means that your body processes and utilizes the nutrients which it needs and then eliminates those it doesn't. There are primarily two ways to naturally speed up your body's metabolism. The first is through resistance training, lifting weights. Lean muscle tissue is a very metabolically active tissue, it requires a lot of energy to maintain. The body gets this energy from burning calories. So the more lean muscle you have, the faster your metabolism becomes and the more calorie...