The Top 5 Most Effective Slimming Supplements
“Isn’t there a pill you can give me to help me lose weight?”
As a nutritionist I can’t begin to tell you how many times I hear this.
The short answer is that no single supplement alone can make you slim & healthy, not without some serious side effects or stimulants.
That said; there are supplements that have proven to provide safe benefits without the dangerous side effects of drugs or ‘speed’. I will list and explain them here.
First, allow me to repeat something you may have missed;
There is no “magic pill” that can single-handedly product the physical and mental conditions required for long term, healthy weight management:
A careful eating plan and regular exercise must become part of your life!
Diet, Activity, and yes; nutritional supplements are all absolutely essential to managing your weight over the long term.
OK; enough preaching. I will cover the best slimming exercises in the next installment of this series. For now let’s look at the supplements that have been proven to stimulate slimming:
The five that top the list are:
- 7-Keto DHEA
- Conjugated Linoleic Acid, (CLA)
- Chromium Picolinate
- Hoodia Gordonii
- 5-HTP
DHEA is a hormone with significant importance in the human body, and its levels decrease with age starting around age 30.
One aspect of DHEA is its effect on your metabolism. Raising your metabolic rate is called ‘thermo-genesis’.
7-Keto DHEA appears to be the active metabolite of DHEA that is responsible for its effect on thermo-genesis.
It appears that it may attenuate the normal decline in metabolic rate that is associated with calorie restriction.
There was a study of 45 men and women published in the April 2007 Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry that indicated that 7-Keto combined with calcium citrate, green tea, vitamin C, vitamin D and chromium picolinate were highly effective at not only preventing a decrease in metabolic rate but actually increasing it.
One of the better documented weight loss aides is CLA, or conjugated linoleic acid. This fatty acid has been shown to help people on a low-calorie diet to maintain lean muscle mass, thereby reducing body fat.
If you take CLA, exercise and reduce your calories, you may firm up, lose body fat and maintain your muscle. You may not lose as much weight, but losing FAT is the key, after all.
Don’t forget, for every pound of muscle you keep or add, you’ll burn an extra 50 calories per day. That really adds up over time!
Of course you want to make sure you’re getting a high-quality CLA product.
An essential cofactor in many of the body’s enzymatic reactions, chromium is extremely important for proper glucose metabolism.
Glucose, or blood sugar, is converted to fat if it is not properly utilized by the body. Chromium appears to help glucose metabolism, and may aide in weight reduction.
The commonly studied nd recommended dose is 200-500mcg, (that’s micro-grammes) per day.
Hoodia Gordonii is a very interesting supplement that comes from a succulent plant found in Africa. For many years, it has been used by native hunters to ward off hunger and thirst.
Hoodia Gordonii has been studied extensively over the past 5 years, and the active ingredient appears to be a component called P57.
This component was isolated and patented as the part of Hoodia Gordonii that causes appetite suppression.
5-HTP helps the nervous system by encouraging the production of serotonin.
Several studies have shown a benefit for 5-HTP in weight loss.
Decreased appetite, decreased carbohydrate and fat intake, and decreased weight have been reported. Studies ranged from 5 to 12 weeks, and diets were not restricted.
It’s very important to verify that the 5-HTP you use is tested for purity.
Conclusion:
So what should you do to start slimming in a healthy, sustainable way?
First; Don’t panic. It’s not nearly as difficult as it seems. It simply requires that you make some basic lifestyle adjustments and continue them over a long enough period of time.
Remember; If you’re overweight you didn’t get that way in a hurry. You likely took years to create your current body. Give yourself at least a few months to actually get consistent with a new routine, and then a few more months to start seeing actual changes.
The supplements listed above can really help, but it’s important to understand that you cannot expect one nutrient to make you healthy on its own.
Get at least the following:
2) An antioxidant. (I take Grape Seed Extract and Vitamin C also by Vitasunn)
3) Trace Minerals (Liquid ONLY. The best are by Active and you’ll find them on the Vitasunn website as well)
As for the five slimming supplements listed above, I truly recommend you take ALL of them daily.
That’s right. All of them.
The CLA is a normal daily source of EFA’s (essential fatty acids), the chromium will help reduce your sugar cravings, the Hoodia will reduce your appetite.
5-HTP will keep your spirits up and the 7-Keto will aide your body’s own fat burning mechanisms.
Do you think that’s a lot of vitamins?
I suggest you investigate the supplement list used by the world’s healthiest people: competitive athletes.
You will find that they take a similar quantity at several intervals throughout the day, every day.
On final word; Water
Please drink water all day and choose WATER as your beverage of choice.
Not soft drinks, (even sugar free), not tea unless it’s caffeine free.
Limit coffee to one cup per day. Try to forget alcohol for a while, and if you do decide to have a drink, have wine.
OK, so the next segments will focus on diet and exercise, respectively.
Meanwhile; May you enjoy the best of health always!