If you have not done so already, you may wish to read Part 1 of this article for more information.  I’ll now proceed with my review of natural weight loss aids.

One of the most popular weight loss products in the last few years has been hoodia gordonii.  Hoodia is hard plant to find, and therefore Hoodia supplements tend to be expensive, and some products sold as hoodia have little or no real hoodia in them.  The real hoodia plant does appear to markedly reduce appetite and therefore it can be helpful for weight loss. It comes in both pill and liquid form.  When taking the pill form, I suggest a dose of 500 to 1000 mg per day taken in divided doses one to two times per day before meals.  Liquid doses vary depending on the concentration of the liquid, but for a 20:1 extract, I suggest taking about 30 drops or so, one to two times per day.

Hydroxycitric acid appears to stimulate the production and storage of glycogen.  This process blocks fat storage and suppresses appetite.  This supplement can be taken in an amount of 500 to 1000 mg per day in evenly divided doses taken thirtyto 60 minutes before a meal.

BCAA (Branched Chain Amino Acids), such as L-Leucine appear to trigger fat burning and muscle building.  A recommendation for dosing is 1200 to 3000 mg per day, split into 2 or more equal doses taken between meals.

Pyruvate has been shown to stimulate weight loss, but it requires a high dose to be effective.  Not everyone can handle taking it without significant stomach upset.  Brief periods of high intake (8,000 to 10,000 mg per day) for up to 7 days at a time can help get weight loss started initially.  For long-term use, a smaller dose is recommended (2,000 to 6,000 mg per day).

Wu-long tea, is an Asian black tea that also appears to assist in natural weight loss, both through its effects on suppressing insulin release (which enhances fat burning) as well as by suppressing appetite. This is taken as an actual brewed tea, as opposed to a pill form.

5-HTP (5-hydroxy tryptophan) can help with weight loss in daily dosages of 50 to 100 mg divided into 2 or more doses taken with food.  It should be avoided by women who are pregnant or are breast-feeding.  Only purchase 5-HTP products that have been tested and certified as being clear of the contaminant known as “Peak X”.  If you develop joint or muscle pain or experience breathing difficulties, cease taking 5-HTP and seek medical attention.  When clear of contamination, 5-HTP is safe and effective, so these cautions are intended as warnings in case of the rare instance of receiving a contaminated product.

7-Keto DHEA (note that this is not the same as regular DHEA) has demonstrated the effects of increased metabolic rate and increased lean muscle building and fat burning.  It is best taken in two or more doses with meals for a total daily intake of 100 to 200 mg.

You now have background on the most popular of the safe and effective natural weight loss aids.  Hopefully you are now able to better choose which products may enhance your diet and exercise efforts based on your particular needs.

Just because a product is marketed as a natural weight loss aid does not mean that it’s necessarily safe or effective.  Simulants, even if they are natural, can cause adverse health effects and despite short-term weight loss with these products, they invariably result in the overproduction of cortisol, a hormone that in the long run actually stimulates weight gain.

Certain natural weight loss aids are quite safe and they do provide effective weight loss over and above what can be achieved with a good diet and exercise program.  But no weight loss product, natural or otherwise is a workable weight loss program in and of itself.  Weight loss aids, even presciption weight loss drugs, provide only modest benefits when used exclusively instead of in combination with diet and exercise.

In order to get maximum benefit from any natural weight loss product, you must combine it with diet and exercise.  No matter how good the advertising sounds and no matter how much you want to believe that a pill or potion is all you need to lose weight, the simple truth is that diet and exercise are absolutely necessary to effective lasting weight loss.

That being said, there are some herbs and nutrients that do appear to enhance the weight loss effects of diet and exercise through either appetite suppression, increased metabolism, or the blocking of fat absorption from the digestive tract. Here’s a rundown of things that may help:

Chitosan is a substance found in the shells of shrimp and other shellfish, so it should not be used by people with shellfish allergies. Chitosan assists in weight loss by binding fat in the digestive tract and keeps it from being absorbed. This in effect lowers the calories consumed in each meal. It should be noted though that chitosan can produce loose stools and occasionally a temporary loss of bowel control. There is also a potential for deficiencies of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K to develop with long-term use of chitosan. For these reasons, I do not recommend chitosan, but if you feel you must use it, a reasonably safe dosage is 1500 to 3000 mg per day split into doses taken with 8 ounces of water before meals.  You may wish to consider supplementing with fat soluble vitamins between meals when taking chitosan.

The suggested dosage for chromium nicotinate assist with weight loss is about 200 to 400 mg per day, which is best taken divided into two or more doses taken with food.  Although chromium picolinate has been more widely promoted as a weight loss aid, chromium nicotinate has had more consistent results with weight loss in the research studies that have been done.

CLA, or conjugated linoleic acid can be taken in doses of 300 to 600 mg taken before each meal (no more than 1800 mg per day).  CLA has been shown to promote fat burning and the development of lean body tissue in laboratory animals, but the effects in humans remain uncertain.

Green tea extract containing at least 90% total catechins appears to increase metabolism.  This effect appears to be separate from the metabolic effects of the caffeine, and because of the problems with stimulants in long-term weight loss, the decaffeinated extract is recommended.  The suggested dose is 100 to 400 mg per day, best split into two or more doses and taken in between meals.

In part 2 of this article, I’ll continue with more popular natural weight loss aids.

There are many natural weight loss aids on the market, but just because a product may be “natural”, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is safe and effective. In fact, some of the most popular natural weight loss aids can be hazardous and although they may produce rapid weight loss initially, they can actually cause weight gain and difficulty losing weight in the long run.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.