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There are many ways to lose weight1, may it be exercise, yoga, diet, and whatnot. But when looking for healthy weight loss methods, appetite suppressants when taken as per the prescription can be very helpful.
101 Guide on Appetite Suppressants
People looking to lose weight and adopt a more healthy diet often encounter appetite suppressants, but what are they? Keep reading to know more.
Appetite Suppressants: An Introduction
Appetite suppressants have a limiting effect on a person’s appetite by reducing their hunger cravings and thus aid an individual in their quest to lose weight. It helps prevent or at least control serious medical conditions like diabetes and obesity, among other things.
An appetite suppressant can help in a person’s effort for weight loss in different ways. They can manipulate the brain into thinking it is already full through hormonal interactions and thus limiting food intake.2
Stopping the absorption of certain nutrients within the body, appetite suppressants boost the body’s metabolism rate and thus help in burning excess calories faster. However, they are not magic pills that will make you lose weight in the space of a few days.
Generally, appetite suppressants are recommended by doctors when patients meet the two criteria set in the Pharmacological Management of Obesity. An individual is considered a good candidate if they have a BMI of 27 or higher and are diagnosed with at least one weight-related medical condition, such as high blood pressure or Type 2 diabetes.
People can also get the medication if their BMI is more than 30, with or without other health problems.
BMI can be a useful indicator when assessing the risk of a person being obese, with people having a BMI of more than 25 defined as overweight and a BMI of more than 30 as falling in the obesity range.
When to Consume Appetite Suppressants?
Appetite suppressants can be introduced into a person’s diet when taking the first steps to lead a better lifestyle and adopt a healthy diet.
An individual who has already had some success in their weight loss journey may start taking appetite suppressants to supplement their other efforts to lose weight if they are at a standstill and cannot lose further weight after a certain point.
Check out Introduction to Nutrition: Guide to Healthy Diet and Effective Weight Loss Exercise to take your first step towards adopting an active lifestyle and healthy diet.
People looking to lose weight are often inclined to prescription appetite suppressants3. While there are some excellent products like PhenQ, Zotrim, and others available in the market, it is worth knowing there are several naturally occurring appetite suppressants in nature around us.
While some people may need additional pharmacological appetite suppressant supplements to aid in weight loss, naturally occurring appetite suppressants like green tea extract, fenugreek, or coffee, should not be ignored to implement a more healthy diet.
It should be noted that while appetite suppressants, whether natural or pharmaceutical in the form of appetite suppressant supplements or appetite suppressant pills, can help in losing weight, they alone cannot aid a person in their venture for weight loss if other habits like daily physical activity.
This helps in maintaining a good sleep pattern, having healthy food, and not engaging in binge eating are not incorporated to adopt a more holistic healthy lifestyle.4
Now that you know what appetite suppressants are let’s look at some easily found and natural sources.
Natural Appetite Suppressants: To Control Hunger & Reduce Hunger Cravings
1. Green tea extract
Green tea has been a popular choice for people looking to lose weight and lead a healthy life. Green tea extracts aid in the weight loss effort of individuals containing two compounds, namely, caffeine and catechin.
Caffeine is a well-known stimulant that helps in increasing the rate at which body fat is burnt while also acting as a competent appetite suppressant.
On the other hand, Catechins5 are a type of phenolic compound and an antioxidant that helps in boosting the metabolism rate of the body and helps to reduce body fat. Moreover, caffeine and catechins also make the body more adept at burning excess calories.
A study conducted on 10 healthy people to measure the efficacy of green tea extracts in aiding weight loss showed a 4% increase in calories burned after they consumed a combination of EGCG or epigallocatechin gallate ( a type of catechin) and caffeine.
2. Fenugreek
Fenugreek, a herb belonging to the legumes family, is an effective appetite suppressant. The most commonly used plant, the small yellow seeds, are high in fibre and provide various health benefits like appetite control and cholesterol reduction.
The fibre present in the seeds prolongs and delays the absorption of carbs and fat absorption in the body and thus gives the feeling that the stomach is full for a longer period, thus reducing food intake.
3. Garcinia Cambogia
Garcinia cambogia, a popular weight loss supplement, is derived from a fruit of the same name; the fruit is also known as Garcinia gummi-gutta or Malabar tamarind. The fruit, which is naturally very sour, is not generally consumed as a fruit but rather used as an ingredient in cooking.
The fruit containing high concentrations of hydroxy citric acid (HCA), a citric acid derivative, in its peels effectively combat weight gain with HCA proven to have several weight loss properties like helping to reduce appetite and block fat production and decrease body fat.
A study has suggested that the consumption of fruit can lead to increased serotonin levels in the brain, which may give the feeling of a full stomach for a longer period and thus act as an appetite suppressant.
4. Caralluma Fimbriata
Caralluma Fimbriata6, an edible cactus found in India, is an effective appetite suppressant. It helps reduce carb intake and reduces food intake by increasing the serotonin level in the brain, thus giving the feeling of being full.
It has historical significance as a food ingredient in India, with consumption of the cactus playing a role in reducing appetite and thus reducing hunger cravings during times of famine.
5. Gymnema Sylvestre
Gymnema Sylvestre, a herb most commonly found in the tropical forests of India, Africa, and Australia, is a popular choice for aiding in weight loss. It is mostly known for its anti-diabetic traits but also helps to lose weight.
It contains compounds known as gymnemic acids, which have been shown to block the sweetness of food. So, effectively it can be said that consuming Gymnema Sylvestre can reduce the taste of sugar in the mouth and fight off sugar cravings, one of the major proponents leading to weight gain.
It has been found that regular use of the herb led people to reduce food intake by acting as an appetite suppressant. There have been some suggestions that it can even block the digestion of fat in the body.
6. Griffonia Simplicifolia (5-HTP)
Griffonia simplicifolia, a plant known for being one of the best natural sources of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), helps in weight loss by regulating the serotonin levels in the brain.
5-HTP is a compound that gets converted into serotonin in the brain and helps to suppress appetite and, as a result, helps in weight loss by reducing carb intake and food intake.
7. Glucomannan
Glucomannan, a soluble fibre, is one of the most effective appetite suppressants available, with it helping in reducing appetites and aiding in weight loss.
Glucomannan absorbs water and transforms it into a viscous gel, bypassing digestion and keeping the colon relatively unchanged. At the same time, it also has a bulking trait that assists in promoting a feeling of having a full stomach and reducing food intake.
8. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
Conjugated linoleic acid 7(CLA), a type of trans fat, is found naturally in some fatty animal products like dairy and meat from cows, sheep, and goats.
CLA can aid in weight loss by accelerating the rate at which body fat is burnt and blocking fat production in the body. It is also known to give a feeling of a full stomach and suppress appetite.
9. Almonds
Nuts, in general, are considered to be a healthy, nutritious choice for a snack. However, almonds can be considered particularly helpful to aid weight loss, being rich in fibre and an excellent source of antioxidants and other nutrients like Vitamin E and magnesium.
A handful of almonds can present itself as a healthy snack choice and help avoid binge eating, leading to weight gain.
10. Yerba mate
Yerba mate is a plant indigenous to South America and is usually used to make a mate beverage. While it acts as an energy stimulant like coffee and tea, it also effectively suppresses appetite. It helps in giving a feeling of a full stomach and thus helps to reduce hunger.
It is generally consumed as a tea or powdered form; it is also available in markets as an appetite suppressant supplement.
11. Coffee
Coffee is naturally high in caffeine, a stimulant well known for aiding in weight loss with daily consumption, reducing appetite, and helping in weight loss by burning body fats faster.
So, coffee may be considered an effective appetite suppressant while also helping the body’s energy intake; of course, it is to be noted that to realize the appetite-suppressing traits of coffee fully, you have to consume it without milk and sugar.
12. Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne Pepper may aid someone in their weight loss quest by its active ingredient being capsaicin, a thermogenic chemical.
Thermogenic chemicals are associated with boosting the metabolism rate of the body along with reducing appetite. It can help reduce food cravings, and additionally, it is thought to be capable of burning a few calories as it is spicy.
Appetite-Suppressant Supplements to Lose Weight:
While natural appetite suppressants are always more favourable than prescribed medication with hardly any side effects attributed to them, it has to be noted that some people may require additional weight loss supplements to regulate their appetites and control hunger, and aid in their weight loss efforts.
However, one must always take proper medical advice before opting for any prescription medication for appetite suppressants.
Here are some of the best appetite-suppressant supplements to lose weight:
1. PhenQ
PhenQ is one of the best appetite suppressant pills available in the market for anyone looking to aid their weight loss efforts by reducing food cravings and burning body fat while giving the body an overall energetic feel.
It boosts the body’s metabolism rate and stimulates the body to generate heat through a process known as thermogenesis.
The increased metabolism and heat generated help the body in burning body fat and thus help lose weight. It also blocks fat production so that you one does not keep on gaining excess weight.
2. Instant Knockout
This product helps to reduce appetite and helps in weight loss through the process of thermogenesis as well. It has a combination of powerful natural ingredients like green tea extract and cayenne pepper, among other things, that help burn stubborn fats, tightens muscles, and reduce hunger effectively.
It helps to lose weight by boosting the body’s metabolic rate, suppressing the appetite, and boosting the energy level to keep the body in an active state. So, it is recommended that one engages in some form of exercise when using the product.
3. Leanbean
The lean bean fat burner is formulated for women, made up of healthy ingredients such as raspberry ketones, vitamin B6 and B12, black pepper, chromium, and green coffee, and is one of the best appetite suppressant supplements available.
It aids in weight loss by reducing hunger and increasing the metabolism rate of the body. In addition to that, it also prevents the body from gaining excess weight by limiting the amount of fat absorption during the body’s digestion process.
4. Zotrim
Zotrim is a herbal appetite suppressant for women and helps them lose weight by suppressing food cravings and reducing appetite.
It is made up of natural ingredients like yerba mate leaf and caffeine, which are proven to aid in the body’s weight loss process by reducing hunger.
Ingredients like Vitamin B6 and B3 work in conjunction to stimulate the body to utilize previously-stored fats and thus stop the body from demanding more food and thus reduce food intake.
5. Phen24
Phen24 is a 100% natural, organic, and clinically tested product that aids in weight loss. It is one of the best appetite suppressants available on the market and helps the body lose weight by boosting its metabolism rate.
Potential Side Effects of Appetite Suppressants
While most of the products relating to appetite suppressants available in the market are made from natural ingredients, it is still possible that people may suffer from mild symptoms of dizziness, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, and insomnia, among other things.
So, it is always best to consult with your doctor before using any appetite suppressant products.
How Effective Are Appetite Suppressants to Lose Weight?
Appetite suppressants play an important role in the weight loss process, but they will not likely help you drop a huge amount of weight.
Still, the average user only lost about five percent of their body weight. Appetite suppressants can help curb hunger cravings and reduce appetite, but they are not magic pills that can make a person lose a significant amount of weight overnight.
So, while you may use appetite suppressants to get an extra helping hand in your effort to lose weight, you will still have to incorporate other healthy lifestyle practices to ward off adverse events that may arise from deadly diseases like obesity and diabetes.
Who Should Avoid Appetite Suppressants?
Although appetite suppressants are gaining massive popularity due to their significant role in weight loss, not everyone should consume them.
This is because appetite suppressants can at times interact with other ongoing medications. This includes medications for depression and anxiety. Additionally, appetite suppressants can also worsen a few health conditions.
One shouldn’t take these drugs in the following cases:
- heart disease
- glaucoma
- liver disease
- overactive thyroid
Apart from these conditions, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid these medicines, too, as they are not safe.
Bottomline
Everything can have adverse effects if taken excessively or not taken in a right prescribed way. So, before you decide on taking appetite suppressants, consult your doctor once for any underlying health conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What can suppress my appetite?
Try to incorporate enough lean protein at every meal and snack because protein better satisfies hunger than fat or carbohydrates. Exercise can also decrease hunger hormones, which will reduce your appetite.
2. How effective are appetite suppressants?
Completely, although perhaps not to the extent you might have hoped. So it’s better not to depend on them much.
3. How long does it take for an appetite suppressant to work?
Within the initial six months after starting the medicine, the majority of weight loss happens. Following 12 weeks of using the appetite suppressant, if you haven’t lost at least 5% of your initial weight, your prescription and/or treatment strategy may need to be changed.
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