This post is an overview of some popular ingredients used in weight loss supplements.
What could each of these ingredients do for you?
Green coffee bean extract has a small amount of natural caffeine that helps with energy. You can buy this as a supplement- anywhere around $6-40 for a 30 day supply. Once again, back to our friends at WebMD supplement information- I know a "green coffee bean" is an un-roasted coffee bean.
Not roasting the bean increased the amount of chlorgenic acid, which WebMD says has the potential to help with heart disease, weight loss and diabetes. This supplement also has become popular after Dr. Oz discussing the potential weight loss benefits.
WebMD has sources of studies that show benefit for high blood pressure and possibly weight loss- you can see this and other studies at http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1264-green%20coffee.aspx?activeingredientid=1264&activeingredientname=green%20coffee.
This supplement is considered safe except for conditions which caffeine can make worse including anxiety and some heart conditions. There are no known reactions with medications, and the dose ranges greatly from 93 mg daily to 1050 mg daily depending on the type of supplement.
Most of the other information on Green Coffee Bean extract is bias from companies trying to make money or circle back to the same sources as WebMD, so I'll stop here. But you can do continued research on this supplement at the WebMD link above- they have several sources linked.
Garcinia cambogia fruit extract that you can buy at supplement stores for between $6 and $50 for a month supply. The fruit is comes from looks like a small pumpkin that is yellow to green and grows native in Indonesia. It's used in cooking when things need extra souring (per Wikipedia, which isn't a great source but I'm not worried about how people may otherwise use the fruit).
Yet another supplement hyped up by Dr. Oz, many weight loss supplements contain versions of this fruit. Back to our friends at WebMD with their supplement information guide- the reason this fruit can be helpful is in the rind- there is an acid in the rind that has shown to help decrease appetite and possibly decrease fat absorption. However, controlled studies do not show a correlation between this supplement and weight loss. Studies in mice showed that blood sugar levels were better controlled with this supplement- so diabetics need to beware of low blood sugar levels while taking this supplement with their diabetic medication. Studies also show that it may decrease bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol- but it appeared to be a small study. This research can be found on the link from the WebMD site here: http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/garcinia-cambogia-weight-loss.
Possible side effects from Garcinia cambogia include dizziness, dry mouth, headache, and upset stomach. One serious problem can be liver trouble when taking very high doses for long- especially people with liver problems- one product was high enough the FDA removed it from the shelves. That particular supplement also had other ingredients, so it wasn't sure if it played a part in the liver trouble. Another problem is it may react with a variety of medications or make certain other conditions worse- so if you have health problems this supplement wouldn't be a great idea or at least you should watch for problems.
Like the Green Coffee Bean Extract, most else you can find online are the same studies cited by WebMD or articles that say the same thing over and over.
Alpha Lipoic Acid is an antioxidant and found in many foods that are healthy including spinach, broccoli and potatoes. In general antioxidants in the body are thought to help prevent breakdown of healthy cells and repair cells in the body. Specifically Alpha Lipoic Acid is thought to help with many conditions from diabetes, Alzheimer's, cancer, liver disease, and even HIV/AIDs! There are MANY studies on this supplement and how helpful it would be. At WebMD (again) there is a link here ( http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-767-alpha-lipoic%20acid.aspx?activeingredientid=767) with a LOT of information!
Studies on this supplement have shown to likely help: Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, Diabetes, Pre-diabetes, Diabetic Nerve pain, Vitiligo (a skin problem), weight loss and wound healing. It may possibly help with a long list of other problems but there isn't research supporting those uses at this time.
As with the other supplements we discussed, since this may lower blood sugar levels diabetics should watch their levels with medication. This may interfere with thyroid medication and should be taken separately. People who are alcoholics should NOT take this without a thiamine supplement because of potential harm, but is safe for most other people.
The dose for diabetics from studies is from 600-1200 mg daily.
This supplement is actually listed as one of the top supplement from WebMD- the research is very promising and is safe for most people!
When you google this supplement you see everything from anti aging cure, to many respectable studies at universities. If you go and look it up make sure you're looking for reputable sites. While my website looks like what it is- a blog and my opinion- I COULD pay not a lot and have someone make it look like I know everything in the world and my information is 100% fact.
