Weight Loss Supplements

Weight loss isn’t easy. If weight loss was as easy as popping a supplement, we’d all be thin as reeds. We could settle on the couch and watch Netflix, while the supplement did all the work.

In reality, slimming down isn’t that simple. Learn what the experts have to say about vitamins and weight loss.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, is another B vitamin that plays an important role in producing thyroid hormone. For losing weight, the thyroid gland should be functioning optimally

You can obtain riboflavin from foods such as turnip greens, almonds, sesame seeds, whole grains, milk, cheese and chicken.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

Vitamin B3, commonly known as niacin, is a water-soluble vitamin that helps in boosting thyroid function. Increase in thyroid function results in greater production of thyroxine, which is a hormone needed for maintaining metabolism. Individuals who have a slow metabolism find it extremely difficult to lose weight compared to those individuals who have a fast metabolism. Vitamin B3 can be found in foods such as leafy greens, salmon, chicken liver, milk and beef.

Vitamin B-12

Whether you pop it in pill form or get a pricey injection, don’t expect a vitamin B-12 supplement to boost your metabolism and burn fat away. According to the Mayo Clinic, there’s no evidence that it will promote weight loss.

Your body does need vitamin B-12 to support the function of your nerves and blood cells, and to produce DNA. To get your daily dose, as recommended by the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), include foods that contain vitamin B-12 in your diet. For example, eat fortified whole-grain cereal for breakfast, a tuna salad sandwich for lunch, and egg frittata for dinner. Beef liver and clams are also rich sources of this vitamin. You may need more B-12 if you’re a heavy drinker, have a history of anemia, are a strict vegetarian, or have had bariatric surgery.

Vitamin D

Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium and keep your bones strong. But experts aren’t convinced that it will help you lose weight.

One study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that overweight postmenopausal women who took vitamin D supplements and achieved healthy or “replete” levels of this nutrient lost more weight than women who didn’t reach these levels. But more research is needed to test these results and learn how vitamin D supplements might affect other people who are overweight.

Until we know more, you can probably get your ODS-recommended dose of vitamin D by reaching for low-fat dairy products, juices, and cereals that have been fortified with this nutrient. Fatty fish, such as herring, mackerel, and tuna, also deliver modest doses of vitamin D. Your body produces it when you expose your skin to sunlight. Consider taking regular walks around your neighborhood to get some sunlight and exercise too. But remember, too much sun exposure can raise your risk of sunburn and skin cancer.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Some studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids support weight loss — but it’s too soon to draw conclusions, warns the Mayo Clinic.

Even so, omega-3 fatty acids are a great addition to your diet. According to the American Heart Association, they may protect your heart and blood vessels from damage and disease. Salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines, and tuna are rich sources of this nutrient. Consider eating these fish a couple times a week, as part of your healthy eating plan. Try grilling, broiling, or baking, rather than frying them.

Multivitamins

A study from 2010 involved around a hundred women with weight issues, separating them into three groups. One group received a daily multivitamin supplement, the other a daily calcium supplement, and the last group only a placebo. The study carried on for half a year.

Unsurprisingly, the results showed that nothing had happened to the weight of the women receiving calcium or the placebo. However, the group which took the multivitamin lost more weight – about 3 kg more – and improved their health markers. Among other things, their basal metabolic rate (the rate at which the body burns calories when at rest) increased.

Furthermore, another earlier study found that subjects decreased hunger levels by taking multivitamin supplements during starvation diets, compared to a placebo.

There are a lot of health benefits offered by fiber, such as lowering cholesterol, controlling your blood sugar, and helping you lose weight. However, not all of us have consumed sufficient amount of fiber everyday. To fulfill the need of fiber, fiber supplements are available at some drugstore checkout lines. Some even put fiber supplements in their weight loss program.
If you want to make use of fiber supplements for weight loss, there are some things that you need to know.

Food vs Supplements

When you want to get the most benefit of fiber for your weight loss without losing the fiber’s heart-protective properties, it is recommended that you take it from food or natural sources, including vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, and nuts.

In fact, with the abundant sources of fiber, we don’t need to take any supplements. Plus, supplements will not make up for poor eating habits. If you used to have unhealthy diets, and you take supplements, it doesn’t mean that your diet will suddenly become healthy.

However, regarding the health benefits, there is no clear evidence that the fiber supplements will have the same benefits as the natural sources. That’s why most fiber supplements are mostly used for preventing constipation rather than for other health benefits, like lowering cholesterol.

Types of Fiber Supplements

Talking to your doctor before taking fiber supplements is highly recommended. The supplements come in many forms, including powder, capsules, or chewable tablets. The supplements can be made in a lab or extracted from natural sources.

Extracted natural fibers include lignin cellulose (a sugar in plant cells), (a compound in plant cells), gum (a sugar in seeds), and pectin (a sugar in fruits and berries). Some manufactured fibers include psyllium maltodextrins, polyols, and polydextrose.

Safe Consumption of Supplements

Don’t add fiber to your diet too much and too quickly. You have to add it step by step because if you don’t change your diet gradually, some uncomfortable side effects might occur including gas, cramping, and bloating. Also, when taking supplements, you must stay dehydrated throughout the day.

Too much fiber in your diet can affect the nutrients absorption. So, measure how much fiber in total of your diet, either from supplements or foods.

And to remember always consult your doctor before starting to consume fiber supplements as they cannot be combined with certain drugs, such as those for treating thyroid disorders, seizures depression, diabetes, and some heart ailments. Even, the fiber intake can also affect the efficacy of aspirin, ibuprofen, and penicillin.
Source: www.webmd.com

Diet pills are the instant way to lose weight. And when talking something instant, we might know about its side effects to our body. Here are the explanations about the side effects that might occur as a result of diet pills consumption.

The Common Side Effects of Weight Loss Pills

Some diet or weight loss pills contain of these substances which are not healthy, or even dangerous, for our body.

1. Sibutramine

Sibutramine can increase the serious side effects on your heart, including stroke and heart attack. Fortunately, this drug has been removed from the US market in 2010.

2. Sympathomimetic amines

Many weight loss pills come with this name. It is found that this can lead to fast heart rates and high blood pressure.

3. Fenfluramine

Fenfluramine can cause serious side effects on your lung and heart. And fortunately, it has also been banned from the market.

4. Qsymia

One of the weight loss medication approved by FDA is Qsymia. However, the access to use this drug is limited since one of the drugs in its ingredient, topiramate, can cause severe birth defects in pregnant women.

5. Lipase inhibitors

Lipase inhibitors can cause rare liver injury. Thus, you might be aware of the signs of liver disease which include yellow skin or eyes (jaundice), itching, loss of appetite, brown-colored urine, tar-colored stools, and stomach pain.

6. Stimulant weight loss drugs

These drugs are associated with withdrawal effects, dry mouth, restlessness, constipation, and insomnia.

7. Appetite suppressants (Anorexiants)

Anorexiants have many side effects including insomnia, nervousness, increased heart rate and blood pressure, headache, blurred vision, and restlessness. The long-term use can lead to abuse, dependence, and withdrawal. Some reports show that some people experience stomach side effects, including nausea or vomiting, dry mouth, and constipation.

There are many other kinds of drugs used in weight loss or diet pills and most of them have their own side effects. Thus, it is recommended that you choose the natural way to lose weight to avoid those dangerous side effects.
Source: www.drugs.com