The method that most people swear by in order to lose weight often includes regulating their intake of food coupled with regular exercise. But due to many reasons such as metabolism, age, medical history, and some physiological processes, these methods might not always prove to be efficient.
In such cases, people turn to supplements to further aid the process of weight loss.
Supplements are available in many forms such as pills, powders, bars, syrups, capsules, or tablets contain a varied combination of ingredients like herbs, fiber, minerals, and other chemical compounds that have the potential to act in various ways to promote weight loss.
Some of the ways are – reducing the absorption of fat or carbohydrates, curbing your appetite, or increasing the speed of your metabolism.
But some of these ingredients in their isolated or combined forms may prove to have certain unwanted side effects, so it is best to consult with your dietary professional before making the choice to use supplements for weight loss.
Like all supplements, these, too, have the potential to react in an unwanted manner with over the counter prescription medicines.
Additionally, if you have some lifestyle diseases such as blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, or any heart/liver diseases, it is recommended to do proper research about these supplements.
Here are a few of the commonly used ingredients in weight loss supplements
- Beta-Glucans
These are water-soluble fibers present in cereal crops such as oats and barley, and also in organisms such as yeast and bacteria. Their function is to add bulk to the food we consume, which makes it take more time to travel through our digestive systems. Thus, this produces a sensation of fullness and may curb those hunger pangs that result in overeating.
- Caffeine
Caffeine has been long known to burn calories, increase the activity of the gastric system and well as the colon, and break fat down in our bodies. It increases energy expenditure as well as the process of oxidation of fat. Due to these, when taken in judicious amounts, it results in a significant amount of body fat reduction. It can be found in tea, coffee, and in certain nuts and herbs.
- Calcium
Calcium is known for a lot of purposes. Similar to caffeine, calcium helps in the break down of fat – the process is known as lipolysis. The mineral also decreases the absorption and assimilation of fat. It is also associated with lesser gain of weight over a period of time. In some cases, it may also produce some regulating effects on hormones that control our appetite.
- Chromium
This mineral helps in regulating blood sugar levels, increases muscle mass and fat loss, and decreases appetite. It makes the hormone insulin activate faster and this is why the process of blood sugar assimilation becomes more efficient. It quickens the process of metabolization.
- Fucoxanthin
This is a kind of pigment commonly found in aquatic brown algae. It helps in the process of weight loss by suppressing the formation and differentiation of adipocytes – fat-containing cells – in our body. It also increases the breakdown and oxidation of fat and decreases the accumulation of lipids.
- Probiotics
Probiotics comprise of all those microbes that reside in the human gut and have beneficial roles to play. They aid in the process of efficient energy expenditure and nutrient extraction from food. They also regulate the storage process of fats in the body.
- Pyruvates
Pyruvate is a three-carbon compound. This compound is well known as an ingredient in weight loss supplements that reduces body weight and body fat, possibly by increasing lipolysis and energy expenditure.
- Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin present in many food items such as fatty fish, cheese, and egg yolks. Human beings also have the potential to synthesize it when their skin is exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D is often associated with lower levels of obesity.
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Written by: Jahnabee Adhikari
Jahnabee is a part-time blogger, full-time dog lover. She believes that writing actually possesses the potential to change the world. She can be often found fantasizing about poetry or buried nose-deep in a Sudha Murthy novel.
