There are many types of diet pills on the market. These remedies work in different ways depending on the ingredients. Tablets containing fiber make you feel full, those with linoleic acid burn fat, with chitosan - they reduce the digestion of fats. Is it worth taking slimming pills?
How do theseslimming pills work ? Which are effective and safe, and which may be harmful?
Slimming aids, not as we commonly call them - slimming, they contain plant or other natural substances that are involved in metabolism. Some are involved in the breakdown of fats, others sugars, others manage water management or accelerate digestion. Thanks to them, the nutrients provided to the body are converted into energy. Most of these substances are found in food products, some are produced by the body itself.
The action of biologically active substances is used in the production of dietary supplements to help you regain a slim figure. We are happy to eat them, hoping that thanks to them we will painlessly get rid of the onerous ballast. Unfortunately, scientists have not yet managed to invent a drug that would lose weight. The drugs available for sale do not have the miraculous powers that are attributed to them. Yes, sometimes it is possible to lose 1-2 kg, for example, when we take a dehydrating or digestion-accelerating preparation, but the moment we stop taking the pills, the weight returns.
Specialists sound the alarm: this is not the way! Losing weight is not about getting rid of water from the body or accelerating digestion, but about using up the stored reserves by the body! Supplements are not enough to achieve this. You also need a proper diet and exercise. Note that on every slimming measure there is a note: when taking the preparation, you must also follow a low-calorie diet and increase physical effort.
So the question arises, what are the various preparations that are full of on the market for? The answer is simple: they only help us lose weight.
Slimming pills: check what you take
Often, under the slogan of "slimming drug" there are also drugs sold that should not be called that. How it's possible? In line with EU lawEuropean responsibility for the quality of the dietary supplement, the content of the information provided on the packaging and its advertising rests with the manufacturer. The effect is that not all of the available slimming agents have proven and confirmed effectiveness. Some work only as a placebo. Certain biologically active substances, by interacting, can deprive the body of valuable nutrients, leading to water and electrolyte imbalance, and even diseases.
That's why we have to be careful ourselves what we buy. Knowledge of biologically active substances included in the most popular slimming preparations will help us in this. Before we choose the best one for ourselves, let's take a closer look at the tablets.
Diet pills: fiber
It is the most common and the safest ingredient of "slimming" preparations. It has no significant nutritional value, but both its insoluble and soluble forms are very important for your metabolism. The most commonly used fibrous substances obtained from plants include glucomannan, galactomannan, xanthan, pectin, agar-agar and extracts of pineapple, apple, beetroot, beans, sunflower and algae. They bind significant amounts of water, swell in the stomach, stretching its walls, giving a feeling of fullness. They also delay the moment when the food leaves the stomach, thereby prolonging the feeling of satiety.
The action of these substances depends on the ability to absorb water and thus increase the volume. The first in this respect is glucomannan, which can expand by up to 200 times. For comparison, fibrinous substances contained in bran increase it 10 times. But inducing a feeling of fullness is not the only mechanism that supports weight loss. Soluble fiber fractions form a gel that fills not only the stomach, but also covers the walls of the upper gastrointestinal tract, slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates. It also increases the binding and secretion of bile acids, thus reducing their reabsorption by the body.
Insoluble fiber fractions travel through the entire digestive tract in a virtually unchanged state, cleansing it and eliminating residual debris, which is why they are irreplaceable in combating chronic constipation that often occurs during weight loss.
The effectiveness of fiber in slimming treatments using a low-calorie diet is scientifically proven. To obtain the effect, you should consume a minimum of 30 g per day (according to some researchers, up to 45 g), drinking plenty of water. Fiber-based preparations are safe, as long as they are not in the form of tablets. Aftersaturated with water, the tablet may become stuck in the throat or the esophagus causing inflammation or damage to the wall of the gullet.
For 2 hours after taking the preparation, it is better not to take other medications, because fiber may delay their absorption. Also, the recommended dose must not be exceeded. Excess fiber may cause gas, stomach pain and diarrhea. It also hinders the absorption of certain minerals, e.g. zinc, calcium, iron.
According to an expertDr hab. n. med. Małgorzata Kozłowska-WojciechowskaWhy is it so hard to lose weight?
Because it requires sacrifices. Most often, people gain weight because they do not control the amount of food they eat. And he doesn't because he enjoys eating, as does his lazy, sedentary lifestyle. Therefore, for years, scientists have been looking for a method that would allow you to lose weight without changing your lifestyle and denying yourself some pleasure. As a result, the market is flooded with a huge amount of "slimming" preparations. Not all of them have scientific studies to prove their effectiveness, and they work largely on the subconscious. So what if they contain some substances involved in metabolic processes? This does not mean that when we take them in a pill, the body will start working at top speed. It is not so. I do not know a "slimming" preparation, the manufacturer of which would not recommend a simultaneous diet and increased physical activity. Anyone who comes up with a slimming drug without sacrifice will deserve a Nobel Prize.
Slimming pills: substances that block the absorption of glucose and fats
Thanks to the enzyme system, carbohydrates, fats and proteins are broken down into small particles during the digestion process. Glucose is produced from starch, from proteins - amino acids, fats are converted into fatty acids, because only in this form can they be converted into energy. It turned out that some substances obtained, for example, from tropical plants, bran, wheat germ, soybeans, green tea, have the ability to reduce the activity of enzymes that break down food into microparticles, and thus make it difficult for the body to absorb them. These include amylase inhibitors (e.g.hydroxycitric acid - HCA , and gymneminic acid) - reduce glucose absorption and block the formation of fats from carbohydrates, and lipase inhibitors (e.g. orlistat) - their action is based on by blocking digestion and absorption of fats provided to the body in food, and thus increasing the amount of fats excreted. When taking preparations containing lipase inhibitors, one should take into account extremely unpleasant ailments from the gastrointestinal tract - flatulence and fatty diarrhea.
Substance chitosan.It is a natural substance obtained from the ground shells of sea crustaceans - crabs and shrimps - that limits the absorption of fats, but in a different way than lipase inhibitors. It is a source of natural dietary fiber that does not digest itself, but limits the digestion of fats.
Chitosan works like a trap: in the acidic environment of the stomach it creates a gel that catches fat particles. Since it does not undergo any changes, it enables their complete removal from the body. It is assumed that 3 g of chitosan absorb about 8 g of fat. Supplements should be taken before eating in order to prevent the penetration of fat from the food into the tissues.
Studies show that chitosan is effective in supporting slimming treatments, including diet and physical activity. It is a safe drug that, in addition, regulates blood pressure, but it must not be taken for years. Overdosing can cause problems with your eyesight or skin, as this agent limits the body's absorption of unsaturated fatty acids and makes it difficult to absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, E, D).
Slimming pills accelerating thermogenesis - linoleic acid, caffeine, L-carnitine
How to get rid of energy reserves? It is best to convert it into heat during physical exertion (aerobics, gym exercises). Plant substances that stimulate thermogenesis, increase body temperature and accelerate heart rate can help in losing kilograms. They are part of most "slimming" preparations. A popular thermodynamicist is caffeine, which stimulates the central nervous system, increasing the speed of communication between the brain and muscles, dilates blood vessels in the brain, and gives vigor. The problem is that an excess of caffeine in the body (its sources include coffee, tea, energy drinks, cola, cocoa, chocolate,guarana ) can be harmful. Especially preparations containing only caffeine (e.g. lozenges) should be taken very carefully, adhering to the recommended dose. Overdose may result in insomnia, cardiac arrhythmias, general "shaking". It is similar with ephedrine. Possible side effects include nervousness, difficulty concentrating, over-agitation, as well as cardiac arrhythmias, high blood pressure, and even a stroke. The combination of caffeine and ephedrine is especially dangerous. Therefore, preparations containing both components should be avoided, although they effectively reduce body fat with increased physical exertion.
A recommended fat burner islinoleic acid (CLA) . It accelerates the conversion of fats into energy and prevents their accumulationits reserves, while increasing the muscle tissue. By blocking the enzyme that allows fat to penetrate fat cells, it protects against theyo-jo effect .
TheL-carnitineis very controversial. This substance was created in the body due to two amino acids: lysine and methionine, with the participation of vitamins C, B6 , B3and iron, also known as vitamin BT. Its largest deposits are found in muscles. It takes part in the transport of fatty acids to cells, where they are burned and converted into energy compounds. Due to the fact that fatty acids cannot penetrate the cell membranes, they are essential for turning fats into energy and reducing their stores. That is why L-carnitine is included in many weight loss aids. Some suggest that it increases the energy metabolism of fats by up to 70 percent. However, according to scientists, the effectiveness of L-carnitine in weight loss has not yet been fully understood. A he althy person usually does not suffer from its deficiencies, so he does not need additional amounts of this substance. And just increasing the amount of the preparation does not reduce body fat yet. Only with a very high energy effort, such as exercising in a gym, L-carnitine has an effect by turning fat into muscle.
Slimming tablets to reduce appetite - chrome
Chromiumsuppresses the appetite and the desire for sweets. This element regulates blood glucose levels and has a positive effect on carbohydrate metabolism. By reducing your appetite, chromium helps you stay on your diet and prevent you from overeating between meals. The response to this mineral is an individual matter - with some it helps to control your appetite, others not.
The appetite is also reduced by drugs containing caffeine, ephedrine, theophylline. However, taking them can be addictive.
You must do itImportant safety rules
- You should buy slimming preparations in pharmacies or herbal shops. Those from the bazaar or online store may not work at all or be harmful to your he alth.
- Choose preparations from well-known companies - then you can be sure that you are not buying a pig in a poke. If you are shopping directly from the company's representative, ask for a document confirming that the product has been approved for sale as a dietary supplement.
- Before you decide to buy, carefully read the information on the packaging or on the leaflet. Pay attention to the composition of the preparation, the daily dose, the possibilities and effects of an overdose as well as contraindications.
- Weight loss aids can be overdosed. Therefore, followrecommendations and do not take several preparations with a similar effect at the same time.
- Although they are available over the counter, it is best to take them in consultation with your doctor or dietitian. They should not be taken on their own by pregnant women, children and people taking medications.
- Preparations intended for athletes should be taken only under the supervision of a sports doctor.
Diet pills - laxatives
Doctors and nutritionists warn against their use. We are talking about laxatives (e.g. rooting root, senna leaf, buckthorn bark or American buckthorn bark) often found in herbal mixtures, which - by accelerating the passage of food through the digestive tract - impede the absorption of nutrients. At the same time, they irritate the digestive tract, can cause weakness, diarrhea and abdominal pain, and as a result completely upset the digestive process. Preparations containing diuretics (e.g. dandelion, white birch, bearberry) can also be dangerous.
Long-term intake of this type of drug, whether in tablets or in the form of teas, may lead to systematic dehydration (deficiency of electrolytes, vitamins and other nutrients). In addition, they do not have slimming properties. We lose kilos due to water loss.
Diet pills - herb and fruit extracts
There are still new preparations on the market that promise weight loss without sacrifice. Most often they are harmless but ineffective agents containing, for example, grapefruit, papaya, apple cider vinegar extract, powdered asparagus, pansy herb, elderberry fruit, rose … Some stimulate digestion, others improve metabolism, have a diastolic or diuretic effect, but none of them it does not have slimming properties, because it does not reduce body fat, and this is the main goal of effective weight loss.
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