America has become the home of the free, the brave and the Whopper. Between 24 hour supermarkets, fast food drive-thrus and diners, any kind and quantity of food is available whenever and wherever Americans turn. But, the irony is that as much as food surrounds our country, like we’re an island that brushes up a tide of lard and grease in the form of bacon double cheese burgers and sausage subs, we also idolize the bodies of actors and supermodels. The bottom line: Americans want their cake and perfect bodies, too. So, it was only a matter a time before the over-the-counter drug market offered a wave of fat burning pills that promise dramatic weight loss even with a high consumption of fat and little to no exercise.
Fat burners, metabolism boosters and rapid fat loss catalysts have infested our televisions, radios and even our computers when we’re online, and they come with amazing testimonials that seem too good to be true. So what’s in these magic pills? How can people shed pounds simply by swallowing a capsule? The following is a breakdown of some fat burning and metabolic enhancing ingredients in popular pills like Stacker 2, Enforma, Xenadrine and Metablolife.
Chitosan and Pyruvate
Diet pills that contain Chitosan, like Stacker 2 and Enforma’s Fat Trapper, claim to block a portion of the fat people consume by isolating and excreting it, without it being absorbed by the body. Chitosan is produced by the hydrolysis of chitin, a polysaccharide found in shellfish shell. The fat binding effect occurs when the gelatin properties in the gastrointestinal tract turns the Chitosan into a gel, allowing it to bond fatty acids to its amino groups. Once bonded, the fat and cholesterol sticks to the gel, not allowing the body to absorb it, and gets secreted as waste.
But Chitosan also bonds with essential fatty acids like fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, so a daily multi-vitamin is recommended while taking it, as directed by most of the labels of supplements that contain Chitosan. And because Chitosan is derived from shellfish, anyone who is allergic to any seafood or shellfish should not take it.
Enforma’s Exercise in a Bottle contains Pyruvate, an ingredient found in red apples, cheese, dark beer and red wine. Pyruvic acid is created in the body during the digestion of carbohydrates and protein, so Enforma suggests that the pyruvate supplements can lead to weight loss by increasing the resting metabolic rate. The instructions warn that high intakes of pyruvate can cause gastrointestinal upset such as gas, bloating and diarrhea.
Ephedra and Guarana
Supplements like Xenadrine and Metabolite have become a hot commodity in vitamin shops, offering rapid weight loss with their energy and metabolic boosting powers that come from herbs called Ephedra and Guarana. Ephedra (ma huang) is a shrub-like plant found in desert regions, mostly northern China, and its main medicinal ingredients are the alkaloids ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, which stimulate the central nervous system, dilate the bronchial tubes, elevate blood pressure and increase heart rate. The overall rapidity in the body that occurs while taking Ephedra is what can also lead to a metabolic increase. But, according to the web site of vitamin chain store GNC, the herb can lead to amphetamine-like side effects, including elevated blood pressure, rapid heart beat, nervousness, irritability, headache, urination disturbances, vomiting, muscle disturbances, insomnia, dry mouth, heart palpitations and even death due to heart failure. In fact, the American Academy of Family Physicians’ web site also warns that the herb can become habit-forming and that people with cardiovascular disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, benign prostatic hypertrophy or glaucoma should not use Ephedra-containing supplements.
Guarana (paullinia cupana) is a paste or gum derived from Guarana seeds from the Amazon rain forest in Brazil. Guarana is primarily made up of guaranine, which is practically identical to caffeine) and alkaloids theobromine and theophylline, which are known to stimulate the central nervous system, increase metabolic rate and have a mild diuretic effect. So, as with any caffeinated product, product labels that contain Guarana warn that it may cause insomnia, trembling, anxiety, palpitations, urinary frequency and hyperactivity, and should be avoided during pregnancy and lactation.
Guarana, Ephedra, Pyruvate and Chitosan seem to be the most popular ingredients in diet and fat burning pills today, but there are many others that can also cause potential health risks. The Health Center for Alternative Care web site suggests that consumers do their homework by reading up on every ingredient in all nutritional and herbal supplements, especially people who have any illnesses linked to allergies like asthma and eczema. And as mentioned on all dietary supplements, consumers should consult their physicians for any health problems before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications.
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