Many Americans are turning to herbal supplements as a way of meeting their dietary needs. With the latest rage for natural products, many people are beginning to use natural diet pills, but is this safe? What are the precautions you should take before trying these new pills? Finally, do they really work?
The active ingredients in many of these pills are ephedra, which comes from the ma huang plant, and caffeine, which comes from the flowering guarana vine in the Amazon Rain Forest. The combination of ingredients in the pill form has been found to work for people who want to use a weight management technique.
How do you as a consumer determine if the natural diet pill you are choosing is safely formulated? For one, you should look for a product whose label lists the exact amounts of ephedrine and caffeine per serving. Then, look to see how much the manufacturer recommends you take. The correct amount should be no more than 25 milligrams of ephedrine per serving with a maximum intake of 100 milligrams a day. Remember, the two main ingredients are stimulants, so start with a low dosage and work your way up.
According to the National Institute Of Health, more than 300,000 Americans die every year because of a poor diet and inactivity. This is an alarming number! It’s a proven fact that losing weight, even five to ten percent of body weight, will reduce blood pressure and lower cholesterol. So, why is this so difficult to do?
For one, many people think they can take a pill and lose the weight. This isn’t so. A diet consists of so much more than just taking a pill. You must combine the pills with a proper diet, water and exercise to gain the maximum benefits, as with any diet.
Doctors warn that people with certain conditions should exercise extreme caution when taking these pills and should consult with their local physician first. These conditions are high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and thyroid or prostate enlargement.
Even people with normal blood pressure should exercise caution when taking these pills. The pills raise your metabolism, thus increasing your blood pressure, so this could be an additional risk factor you may want to check with your doctor about.
Healthy individuals may be able to tolerate these pills, but you must change your lifestyle and diet for any weight-loss program to work. Otherwise, you may just lose the weight to put it right back on, as has been the case with many people who have used this diet aid.
If this product is taken as directed, it will assist you in your weight loss battle by suppressing your appetite that will result in a caloric intake decrease. It will also increase your energy levels, and that will help you to maintain an exercise program. This will result in a process called “thermogenesis.” This is a burning of calories that may be stored in your body.
Counting calories is another step that you must do, along with eating healthier foods. Many people find that if they eat more home cooked meals on a regular basis instead of fast food and snacks, they will lose weight. Drinking more water is another suggestion by many people who been successful with this program, as is exercise on a regular basis.
There are websites that can help with both calorie counting and water intake amounts. For counting calories or to make sure you consume enough calories try Cyberdiet at Cyberdiet.com. For information on water intake try Lisa's Journey.
Overall, if you are healthy, these pills seem safe to use, but consulting with a doctor first is your best bet. Remember, the key ingredients to losing weight are exercise, water and calorie counting.