Popular Weight Loss Herbs

Herbal Weight Loss Product             Popular Weight Loss

Supplements

 Bitter Orange
Bitter Orange, also known as Bigarade Orange or
Neroli, has served many ancient cultures for its
medicine effects in treating a large variety of health
disorders. Today bitter orange teas, tinctures, and
extracts are still used in connection with
gastrointestinal disorders, insomnia, head aches,
and obesity.
Bitter orange contains several chemical
compounds believed to stimulate metabolic rate,
which may increase calorie burning in the body.
While no clinical trails have substantiated the
effectiveness of bitter orange as weight loss
supplement, it appears to be effective in combination with St. John's
wort and caffeine.
Many health professionals recommend 1 to 2 grams of dried bitter
orange peel simmered for 10 to 15 minutes in a cup of water. Three
cups are usually recommended as a daily dosage. As a tincture, 2 to 3
ml is usually recommended, also to be taken three times a day.
Supplementing with pure bitter orange oil is usually avoided.
 

 Cayenne
Helps to soothe the digestive tract.
Promotes better circulation throughout the body.
Contains capsaicin with pain-relieving benefits.
High quality standardized extract.
Doctor approved formulation.
A few studies suggest that chemical compounds in
cayenne have the ability to increase the body's
heat production, whereby increasing the rate of
metabolism of fats and carbohydrates. Additional
research also indicates that cayenne increases
production of epinephrine and norepinephrine
which together decrease appetite. For dieters it has been suggested
that adding 6 to 10 grams of cayenne to a meal or 28 grams to an
entire day's diet reduces hunger after meals and reduces calories
consumed during subsequent meals.
 

 Coleus
Coleus forskohli is a perennial member of the mint,
or Lamiaceae, family that was first discovered in
the lower elevations of India. It is now grown
around the world as an ornamental plant. The root
is used for a myriad of medicinal purposes. As
recorded in ancient Sanskrit texts, coleus has
been used as a medical herb to treat heart and
 lung diseases, intestinal spasms, insomnia, and convulsions.
Commonly coleus extracts come in standardized dosage of about 15
forskolin. Some medical professionals have recommended taking 50-
100 mg of standardized coleus extract two to three times per day but
these amounts have not been confirmed by clinical research. Most
studies have used injected forskolin; therefore, the amount that should
be taken orally to have the same effect is still unknown.
 
 Ephedra
Ephedra has been used medicinally for thousands of years by ancient
and modern day societies as a treatment for various lung and breathing
conditions. However, recently Ephedra has received a lot of bad press
for its recently discovered side effects and products containing ephedra
have been banned in the United States.
Ephedra gained its primary fame as a weight loss drug. It is not,
however, considered by many healthcare professionals and medical
researchers as a safe herb to help people loose weight. In most cases,
the doses used for weight loss are far beyond the 150 mg per 24 hours
safety limit that has been established. It is now believed that higher
doses cause many amphetamine-like side effects, including dry mouth
to more severe problems including heart failure.
Currently, Ephedra is banned in the United States.
 
 Garcinia Cambogia
Garcinia cambogia, also known as malabar tamarind
and brindle berry, is a relatively small purple fruit that
contains a chemical compound called Hydroxycitric
acid (HCA). HCA is much like a derivative of the
same citric acid that can be found in many other
citric fruits whose chemical make up is only slightly
different. Studies indicate that HCA may assist in
weight loss because of its ability to regulate
metabolism.
Studies suggest that garcinia cambogia may assist
in weight loss for the following reasons:
HCA appears to block the conversion of sugars and starches into fats,
that this, HCA is believed to help inhibit fat production.
HCA may suppress appetite by raising levels of certain brain chemicals
such as serotonin, a key stimulator of appetite.
To date no serious side effects involving either garcinia cambogia fruit
extracts or the concentrated chemical HCA have been reported.
 
 Green Tea
Among its arsenal of medicinal effects, preliminary
studies suggest that green tea can lower
cholesterol levels and reduce amounts of harmful
LDL cholesterol. These same studies suggest that
green tea may also increase cardiovascular health
by making blood platelets less sticky.
Green Tea contains caffeine, which stimulates the
central nervous system, and tannins, which
combat diarrhea. Taken in moderation, green tea settles the stomach
and has mild stimulant effects. However when taken in excess, it can
cause insomnia and digestive problems.
Although no conclusive dosage recommendations are available for
 green tea, most people take about 3 cups (750 ml) per day. However,
some research suggests that up to 10 cups per day is needed to
receive enough polyphenols to notice a marked increase in health.
 
 Guaraná
Guaraná is an evergreen vine found growing in the
wild basins of the Amazon rain forests. The
indigenous people of the Amazon rain forest have
used crushed guaraná seed as a beverage and a
medicine. Guaraná was used to treat diarrhea,
decrease fatigue, reduce hunger, and to help
arthritis.
Guaraná contains a substance similar to caffeine
called guaranine. Guaranine stimulates the central
nervous system, increases metabolism, and has a
mild diuretic effect. It has been suggested that in
combination with other herbs, guarana (guaranine) may be effective in
helping to promote weight loss. This effect is probably due to an
appetite suppressing mechanism, an increase in calorie burning, or
both.
Guaranine, a chemical compound found in guaraná, produces many of
the same effects as caffeine. Individuals with conditions that may be
complicated by high caffeine intake (including insomnia, depression,
and pregnancy) should consult with a physician before adding guaraná
to their diet.
 
 Guggul
Guggul is a resin which is produced by the
stem of the commiphora mukul tree, a
relatively small, thorny plant native to India.
In some studies, guggul reportedly has
shown to increase the production of the
thyroid hormone. Since this hormone is involved in the cells'
breakdown of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, theoretically this herb
should promote weight loss. However, more research is needed to
substantiate the effects of guggul supplementation on weight loss.
Studies have indicated that guggul can cause side effects in some
people, including diarrhea, anorexia, abdominal pain, and skin rash.
Modern extracts are more purified and fewer side effects have been
reported with long-term use. If you have liver disease, inflammatory
bowel disease, or diarrhea use caution when taking this supplement.