Ingredients of Weight Loss Food

Weight loss food is basically the collective name given to diet supplements and medication designed to help us reduce the excess fat stored in our bodies. There are a good many ingredients which are out there and can be used to make these supplements and pills, but since some ingredients gain more fame than others, the overall market tends to show a general usage of the about the same ingredients in different proportions.

The common ingredients found in weight loss food are;

Chromium:

This is available in the form Chromium Picolinate. Research on this compound has produced conflicting results - but all in all it can't be said that Chromium is sure to do wonders for your weight. Chromium is naturally found in white sugar, and if the human body is deficient in chromium, it will actually crave more white sugar to fill the deficiency. Chromium is also needed to help in the digestion of white sugar. So a cycle starts in which the individual keeps increasing sugar in-take. Taking a chromium supplement helps lower this craving, and consequently lowers white-sugar intake. This is also how chromium reduces the body's insulin level. This is about all in how it helps to reduce weight.

Ephedra:

Ephedra or ephedrine is the extract of a Chinese plant Ma Huang. It has been banned by the FDA and NCCA due to a high rate of serious of side-effects and ephedra-related deaths. When Ephedra is combined with caffeine, called EC, research has shown that weight loss has occurred as it increases the body's thermo genesis. However the side effects present a great risk such as possibility of heart attack or stroke. Ephedra or ephedrine has been banned in the USA, so be careful and consult your physician if your weight loss product contains Ephedra or Ma Huang in some minor quantities.

Synephrine / Citrus Aurantium / Bitter Orange/Zi Shi:

Synephrine is found in Citrus Aurantium and is being used as a supplement to ephedrine, as the latter has been declared illegal. Combined with caffeine, it has been shown to produce results similar to those of ephedrine. If your weight loss pills or supplements contain this compound, its better you consult with your physician on how you should be taking them.

Tyrosine:

Tyrosine is an amino acid that acts as a mild stimulant. It is found in casein. It is a non-essential amino acid that helps in the synthesis of protein. The possibility of weight loss through the use of tyrosine is present only if it is combined with other ingredients. Pure tyrosine has shown no direct impact on weight loss.

DHEA:

DHEA is a hormone produced in the adrenal glands of the human body. Now-a-days it is being marketed as a general health tonic, some sort of 'wonder drug'. In the human body, it works as a back-up sex hormone. In men it may convert to testosterone in case the body needs it to, for women it may take the form of estrogen. DHEA levels in the human body are lower during the early years of a human being, rise with age till mid 20s r so, then start declining. There is really no proof that it helps in weight loss. Doctors, researchers and specialists still know very little about it and as far as using it is

concerned, it is advisable to do so under the supervision of a physician.

Green Tea:

Green tea Extract is found in a lot of weight loss medication. It is particularly a herbal ingredient. The potency of green tea extract depends on the quality of the extract, but nonetheless, green tea extract, taken moderately, has proven to help in loosing weight. Just don't over do it.

Chitosan:

This is manufactured from 'chitin' the structural element found in crabs, shrimps etc. it is widely claimed to attach itself to the fat in food that enters our body and prevent it from absorbing in the body. Critics argue that this insulation may also cause the body to loose out on much needed nutrients. There's a lot of ambiguity and very little research surrounding chitosan.

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