| With approximately two-thirds of American adults overweight or obese, it's no wonder that pursuing weight-loss goals has become a national pastime. If you're one of the many who want to lose some weight — a little or a lot — the herbal diet supplements market does not disappoint in its number of offerings. It does, however, run a little short on miracles. Some herbal supplements are purported to curb your appetite. Many claim to increase the rate at which you burn calories. Others say they block your body's absorption of fat or carbohydrates. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of these products varies. Often there's no scientific evidence that they work at all. And many herbal diet products have been associated with serious health problems or death. If you're considering using an herbal diet product, use the same caution as is appropriate when considering any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) drug. Talk to your doctor about any herbal diet products you plan to use. It also may help to learn more about some common options and what's known about them.
| A closer look at some common herbal diet products | | | The following ingredients are often found in common weight-loss products. Ephedra
In late December 2003, the Food and Drug Administration announced the ban of ephedra from the marketplace because of health concerns. Ephedra has been a common ingredient in herbal products designed to suppress appetite, increase energy or help you lose weight. Ephedra is also known as ma huang, mahuanggen, Chinese ephedra, ma huang root and herbal ecstasy. Though ephedra is purported by some manufacturers to suppress your appetite and stimulate your metabolism to help you burn calories more quickly, it can cause serious side effects. These include agitation, anxiety, high blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, irregular heart beat, seizures, stroke, heart attack and even death. Even before the ban, media coverage of the dangers of ephedra motivated many diet-product makers to remove ephedra from their products. But some featured other herbs containing ephedrine, the active ingredient in the herb ephedra. Be wary of any product that contains ephedra or some other form of ephedrine. If you can't tell, play it safe by reviewing the product's contents with your pharmacist or doctor before taking it.
Hydroxycitric acid (HCA)
This chemical is found in CitriMax, Hydroxycut and other diet products, most of which contain the words hydroxy, citri or citric, HCA, or Garcinia cambogia, the tropical fruit from which it's derived. Preliminary research indicates HCA may help suppress appetite, but more study is needed. Studies of garcinia cambogi, one of the active ingredients in HCA-based products, have not found adverse side effects, but Hydroxycut and some copycat products also contain ephedra. Herbal laxatives and diuretics
Herbal laxatives and diuretics — substances that promote defecation and urination — include herbs such as aloe, rhubarb root, cascara (buckthorn), senna, parsley, juniper, licorice and dandelion. Herbal laxatives and diuretics may result in temporary weight loss. Any weight that's lost, however, is the result of the loss of body fluids, not fat. The use of herbal diuretics and laxatives can be dangerous, particularly if you're on an extremely low-calorie diet. Short-term effects of overuse or misuse of herbal diet products — such as taking more than the recommended amount of a supplement or steeping a tea for too long — can include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea. Long-term effects can include dehydration, fainting and dangerous imbalances in potassium and other body chemicals. Significant loss of fluid from the use of these products can result in low potassium levels. Eventually, this potassium deficiency can cause heart problems. This can lead to symptoms including irregular heartbeat, and can be fatal. Long-term or frequent use of laxatives may cause your bowels to become dependent on them to function. Maintaining a healthy weight is an important component of maintaining your overall health. But it's important that you do so in a safe and effective way. As with any drug, talk to your doctor before taking any herbal supplement. Discuss with your doctor any possible side effects and interactions with other prescription or OTC medications you're also taking. And remember, the best and safest way to shed pounds is still to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly.
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