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Obesity Discussion · 07-04-07, 07:33 PM

Here is the article to the above link:

Healing With Dr. Andrew Weil

Can Herbs Help You Lose Weight?
There's no miracle supplement, but these herbs may help

Andrew Weil, MD

"I've read that some herbs can help me lose weight. Is this true?"

Maybe. There's no question that the best way to drop pounds is to watch what you eat and stay active, but certain herbs may help.

Green Tea (Camellia sinensis)
A combination of caffeine and 90 mg of EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), the potent antioxidant found in green tea, raised metabolism, found a 1999 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Bottom line: Drink this proven immune-boosting tea for its health benefits; consider the potential calorie-burning spike a bonus.

Garcinia (Garcinia cambogia)
Garcinia is the Ayurvedic word for Malabar tamarind, the fruit of an Asian evergreen tree. Overweight people who took hydroxycitric acid, a compound found in garcinia, in supplement form three times a day for 2 weeks ate fewer snacks and lost about a pound, says a 2002 study in the International Journal of Obesity. Subsequent studies haven't confirmed those results.

Bottom line: Not only is there no conclusive proof that garcinia aids weight loss, but the purported effects aren't very significant.

Bitter Orange (Citrus aurantium)
Bitter orange contains synephrine, which is similar to the notorious stimulant ephedrine. After the FDA banned ephedrine in 2004, diet pill manufacturers began adding synephrine and bitter orange extracts to their formulas. However, the compound does nothing to promote weight loss, according to a recent pilot study by the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, LA.

Bottom line: It doesn't work--and its safety is questionable.

(Posted June 2007)

07-04-07, 07:33 PM	#3 (permalink)
Obesity Discussion Administrator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,815 Weight Statistics 8/1/2006 Start Date: 185 lb Start Weight: 152 lb Current Weight: 155 lb Goal Weight: -33 lb Weight Loss: 5/1/2007 Goal Date:	Re: Can Herbs Help You Lose Weight? Here is the article to the above link: Healing With Dr. Andrew Weil Can Herbs Help You Lose Weight? There's no miracle supplement, but these herbs may help Andrew Weil, MD "I've read that some herbs can help me lose weight. Is this true?" Maybe. There's no question that the best way to drop pounds is to watch what you eat and stay active, but certain herbs may help. Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) A combination of caffeine and 90 mg of EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), the potent antioxidant found in green tea, raised metabolism, found a 1999 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Bottom line: Drink this proven immune-boosting tea for its health benefits; consider the potential calorie-burning spike a bonus. Garcinia (Garcinia cambogia) Garcinia is the Ayurvedic word for Malabar tamarind, the fruit of an Asian evergreen tree. Overweight people who took hydroxycitric acid, a compound found in garcinia, in supplement form three times a day for 2 weeks ate fewer snacks and lost about a pound, says a 2002 study in the International Journal of Obesity. Subsequent studies haven't confirmed those results. Bottom line: Not only is there no conclusive proof that garcinia aids weight loss, but the purported effects aren't very significant. Bitter Orange (Citrus aurantium) Bitter orange contains synephrine, which is similar to the notorious stimulant ephedrine. After the FDA banned ephedrine in 2004, diet pill manufacturers began adding synephrine and bitter orange extracts to their formulas. However, the compound does nothing to promote weight loss, according to a recent pilot study by the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, LA. Bottom line: It doesn't work--and its safety is questionable. (Posted June 2007) __________________