Weight Loss and Fat Loss Supplements

Many supplements available from the health and fitness industry and many natural foods have been shown to promote weight loss and fat loss. If you are one of those people that is not convinced that these products or foods work, than pick up the newly-released June 2008 edition of FitnessRx for Women magazine. Read on to see why.

In its "Supplement Edge" section, FitnessRx for Women profiles the most current research and findings for 15 of "the best weight-loss and fat-loss supplements." In today's post, we will discuss the first 7 of these 15 supplements, and tomorrow we will tackle the remaining eight.

So, if you want to lose weight and lose fat, consider including the following 7 supplements in your daily diet:

1. Bitter orange - It is added to supplements because of its appetite-suppressing qualities. In combination with green tea and guarana, it greatly augments calorie burn. When found in conjunction with caffeine, it increases physical endurance and fires up the fat-burning process.
   
2. Caffeine - As previously discussed in Caffeine and Energy Supplements: Some Advice, caffeine has been found to increase both endurance and performance in athletes. It also plays a role in increasing metabolism. In controlled studies, it has been shown to promote both weight loss and fat loss due to its incredible thermogenic and fat oxidation properties.
   
3. Calcium/Vitamin D - Studies have shown that increasing dietary intake of Calcium can result in weight and fat loss (particularly in the trunk region). Vitamin D, which helps to maintain adequate blood calcium levels, has been shown in one study to help women who are dieting lose more body fat.
   
4. CLA - As previously discussed in CLA and the Fight Against Fat and Cancer, CLA has been used for years by bodybuilders to help them achieve a lean body. A year long study of men and women who supplemented with CLA had a 7-9% lower fat mass than those that did not supplement with CLA. What is interesting is that the CLA alone was responsible for the lower fat mass, not other dietary and lifestyle changes.
   
5. Fish oil - In Keep Your High Fat Cravings At Bay, I discussed that consuming too few essential fatty acids (found in high quantities in fish oil) can cause overwhelming cravings for fat. A recent study has also shown that fish oil actually helps you burn fat as well, reducing body fat mass without any other changes to diet and calories consumed. For overweight people who diet, exercise and consume fish oil, research shows fat loss coupled with improvement to both cardiovascular and metabolic health.
   
6. Fiber - People who consume high amounts of dietary fiber are less likely to get fat because they tend to consume less calories overall. Glucomannan (GM) is a soluble fiber that has been shown to help obese and overweight people lose significant weight when taken at doses of 2-4 grams per day.
   
7. Forskolin - To date, studies have been performed on men only, however results do look very promising for women as well. Forskolin has been shown to decrease body fat percentage and overall fat mass, as well as increase bone mass and lean body mass in men.
   

Along with a good diet and exercise, incorporating some of these weight loss and fat loss supplements will help you to reach your ideal body weight that much faster!

Tomorrow, we'll look at green tea, hoodia, MCT oil, yerba mate, dietary protein and leucine, leucine, soy and whey and casein.

Have a healthy, fit and fulfilling day!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Osteoporosis: Risks, Prevention and Management

One of the health risks that should concern you at any age is osteoporosis, a bone disease that puts you in danger of bone fracture, particularly of the hip, wrists and spine. What are the risk factors and what can you do to reduce your risk or manage the disease should it strike?

As mentioned, osteoporosis is a bone disease. It affects millions of women (and men), particularly women over the age of 50 whose ovarian function has decreased (perimenopause) or seized (menopause). During this time, estrogen levels drop, leaving your bones unprotected. This results in the loss of bone tissue and density, with an estimated 2-5% of bone tissue loss every year for the first 5-10 years following the onset of menopause.

Some of the key risk factors associated with the development of osteoporosis include:

1. Being over the age of 65.
2. Menopause before the age of 45.
3. Bone mineral density that is low.
4. A family history of fracture (particularly a mother who has suffered a hip fracture).
5. A tendency to fall more than normal.
6. Having had a compression fracture of the vertebral column.
7. Even a minimal fracture after the age of 40.
8. X-ray results that indicate increased risk by a physician.
9. Glucocorticoid therapy that has extended beyond 3 months.
10. Having a disease that prevents the body from properly absorbing nutrients (e.g. celiac disease)

Some of the minor risk factors include:

1. Small stature (a body weight less than 125 pounds) or a body weight 10% less than at 25 years of age.
2. Having rheumatoid arthritis or hyperthyroidism.
3. Low dietary intake of calcium. Too little calcium in your blood will cause your body to take calcium from your bones, further depleting bone supply.
4. Too much caffeine (more than 4 cups daily) or alcohol intake (more than 2 cups daily).
5. Smoking.

So, now you know the risks. What can you do to prevent or manage osteoporosis?

1. Stop smoking and drinking caffeine or alcohol in excess.
2. Increase your dietary intake of calcium and/or take a calcium supplement. A diet rich in calcium will result in excess calcium being "taken up" by the bones, thereby increasing bone supply.
3. Consume the recommended amount of Vitamin D because it is crucial for calcium absorption.
4. If you are postmenopausal, have your risk of osteoporosis assessed by your doctor.
5. Do strength-training (with weights) and weight-bearing exercise (e.g. walking) to increase your coordination, strength and balance (reducing your possibility of falling) and to help prevent further bone loss.

One final note about osteoporosis. It can strike at any age! So, if you are a young woman feeling that this article does not apply to you, take heed. Bone loss happens gradually over years, resulting in osteoporosis later on. So, start strength-training and weight-bearing exercise, make the dietary changes recommended above and "bank" as much calcium in your bones as possible.

Get out the weights or get your walking shoes on and go!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

The Benefits and Sources of Vitamin D

Last week, I posted an article on the 13 essential vitamins. In that post, I mentioned that I would periodically be profiling different vitamins. Today, I wanted to discuss Vitamin D.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is stored in fat tissue. It is found in dairy products such as cheese, butter and cream, as well as fortified milk. In many countries, including the U.S., our milk is fortified with Vitamin D, in part because Vitamin D helps the body to absorb the mineral calcium. This is especially important to ensure that the bones of growing children develop properly. Other sources of Vitamin D include fish, margarine, fortified cereals and oysters. Besides food sources, Vitamin D is produced when the skin is exposed to adequate sunlight.

Vitamin D deficiency can result in osteoporosis (a bone disease) in adults, particularly in post-menopausal women who are at increased risk of bone loss. If you do not consume dairy products, including milk on a daily basis, you may also be at risk of a Vitamin D deficiency. Strict vegetarians such as vegans are also at risk, as are lactose intolerant people. Vitamin D deficiency in babies that are exclusively breastfed is possible because breast milk does not supply adequate amounts of Vitamin D. This is why physicians recommend daily Vitamin D drops for breastfed babies particularly during winter months when not enough sunlight is available to produce Vitamin D naturally.

If you are at risk of a Vitamin D deficiency as described above, you should consider taking one of the many supplements available on the market today. The Vitamin D should help your body to absorb sufficient calcium, which is necessary to maintain healthy bones and teeth. As mentioned previously, it is important for post-menopausal women to consume adequate amounts of Vitamin D because of the increased risk of developing osteoporosis. Be sure to read labels carefully and follow the directions of your physician if you have been given a Vitamin D prescription. Alternatively, consider taking a women's multi-vitamin that has the recommended amounts of Vitamin D and Calcium for your particular age group.

Have a great evening!

'Healthy. Fit. Living Fully.'

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International