Natural weight loss products fill the market, but just because a weight loss aid is "natural", it does not mean that it is completely safe, nor is it a sure thing that it will help your weight loss efforts in the long run. The truth is, some very popular natural weight loss products pose some health risks, and even though they might stimulate quick weight loss at the beginning, in the long run they can actually cause you to gain weight.
The main products that can create problems are those that act as stimulants. Natural stimulants act much the same way that stimulant drugs work, and carry the same potential risks.
Caffeine, ma huang (also known as ephedra), guarana, kola nut, and yerba mate' are the most popular of the natural products that act as stimulants. All of these have very strong stimulant effect when taken in the doses typically recommended for weight loss. The effects of these products are very much like the effects of amphetamine drugs. Although most people know that amphetamine use can be risky, some will assume incorrectly that a natural product will be safe.
There are two reasons that I recommend against using any kind of stimulant to promote weight loss. First, such products have potential health risks such as high blood pressure, tachycardia (elevated heart rate), insomnia, and stroke. Second, although these products do usually stimulate weight loss initially, in the long run they actually hinder weight loss and discontinuation of these products is typically followed by rapid weight gain.
When you first begin taking stimulants, the body releases more of the hormone adrenaline from the adrenal glands. Adrenaline causes increased heart rate and respiration and increases blood pressure. It also causes an increase in metabolic rate which results in fat burning and weight loss. Unfortunately, the adrenals are not designed to produce high amounts of adrenaline continuously for long periods of time, and after a few weeks, adrenaline levels will begin to fall, whether or not you continue taking the stimulants. This means that over time, the metabolism will slow down and there will not be as much tendency to burn fat.
The fall in adrenaline levels is not the only problem, though. Stimulants cause the adrenals to produce another hormone in large quantities, called cortisol. Cortisol causes you to gain weight and accumulate fat in the lower abdomen. Cortisol production in the adrenals can be kept up for much longer than adrenaline production. A first, the adrenaline production will overcome the fat-storing effects of cortisol and fast weight loss occurs. Over time though, cortisol production will overcome the declining effects of adrenaline, and weight gain is the inevitable result.
If you stop taking stimulants during the stage when adrenaline can still be produced, the cortisol effects will typically outlast the adrenaline effects, so rapid weight gain often follows sudden discontinuation of stimulants. One way or the other though, if you use stimulants to promote weight loss, sooner or later the effects of cortisol will win out over the effects of adrenaline and weight loss will stop and weight gain will begin.
Even though the idea of fast weight loss through using natural weight loss aids that contain stimulants may be appealing, these products can only complicate your weight issues in the long term and may cause potentially serious damage to your overall health. Natural or not, weight loss aids that contain stimulants should be avoided.
The main products that can create problems are those that act as stimulants. Natural stimulants act much the same way that stimulant drugs work, and carry the same potential risks.
Caffeine, ma huang (also known as ephedra), guarana, kola nut, and yerba mate' are the most popular of the natural products that act as stimulants. All of these have very strong stimulant effect when taken in the doses typically recommended for weight loss. The effects of these products are very much like the effects of amphetamine drugs. Although most people know that amphetamine use can be risky, some will assume incorrectly that a natural product will be safe.
There are two reasons that I recommend against using any kind of stimulant to promote weight loss. First, such products have potential health risks such as high blood pressure, tachycardia (elevated heart rate), insomnia, and stroke. Second, although these products do usually stimulate weight loss initially, in the long run they actually hinder weight loss and discontinuation of these products is typically followed by rapid weight gain.
When you first begin taking stimulants, the body releases more of the hormone adrenaline from the adrenal glands. Adrenaline causes increased heart rate and respiration and increases blood pressure. It also causes an increase in metabolic rate which results in fat burning and weight loss. Unfortunately, the adrenals are not designed to produce high amounts of adrenaline continuously for long periods of time, and after a few weeks, adrenaline levels will begin to fall, whether or not you continue taking the stimulants. This means that over time, the metabolism will slow down and there will not be as much tendency to burn fat.
The fall in adrenaline levels is not the only problem, though. Stimulants cause the adrenals to produce another hormone in large quantities, called cortisol. Cortisol causes you to gain weight and accumulate fat in the lower abdomen. Cortisol production in the adrenals can be kept up for much longer than adrenaline production. A first, the adrenaline production will overcome the fat-storing effects of cortisol and fast weight loss occurs. Over time though, cortisol production will overcome the declining effects of adrenaline, and weight gain is the inevitable result.
If you stop taking stimulants during the stage when adrenaline can still be produced, the cortisol effects will typically outlast the adrenaline effects, so rapid weight gain often follows sudden discontinuation of stimulants. One way or the other though, if you use stimulants to promote weight loss, sooner or later the effects of cortisol will win out over the effects of adrenaline and weight loss will stop and weight gain will begin.
Even though the idea of fast weight loss through using natural weight loss aids that contain stimulants may be appealing, these products can only complicate your weight issues in the long term and may cause potentially serious damage to your overall health. Natural or not, weight loss aids that contain stimulants should be avoided.
About the Author:
Dr. George Best has been assisting people with weight loss since 1992. To access additional resources, you can visit his website for advice on a natural weight loss plan.
