Month: December 2018

From Women’s Health

If there’s one thing that’s been proven time and again, it’s that there is no magic pill for weight loss.

And yet, “quick fixes” keep popping up everywhere…and they’re usually pretty problematic (I see you, detox teas). Another example: garcinia cambogia extract-an ingredient most commonly found in weight-loss supplements.

Uh, what exactly is garcinia cambogia?

Garcinia cambogia-a.k.a. Malabar tamarind-is a fruit commonly grown in India and Southeast Asia, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). The rind of the fruit is often used to flavour curries and to preserve food.

That rind, however, also contains a chemical called hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which is where the plant’s weight-loss claims come into play-HCA has been studied for weight loss through appetite suppression, per the NCCIH (which is why supplements that contain garcinia cambogia extract are also thought to help you lose weight).

So…is it true? Can garcinia cambogia help you lose weight?

While, yes, there have been studies on garcinia cambogia and weight loss, they haven’t necessarily been reliable (nor are they recent, for that matter).

In a research review set to be published in 2019, researchers found that only five randomized, controlled studies of garcinia cambogia’s effect on weight loss have been done in the last 50 years, according to Scott Kahan, M.D., M.P.H., director of the National Center for Weight Wellness, who carried out the study. (FYI: there have been more than 14,000 studies on unfounded therapies for weight loss in that time, he says.)

What’s more: In those five studies, participants saw very little weight loss. “The most positive study showed that several months of taking garcinia cambogia may lead to one pound of weight loss, at best,” says Kahan-placebo pills were usually more effective.

Well, is garcinia cambogia harmful?

According to Kahan’s research, there are very few severe side effects of garcina cambogia (he only found a few examples of diarrhea, brain fog and, in rare cases, liver damage). And according to the NCCIH, garcinia cambogia is pretty safe for short-term use (12 weeks or fewer).

But while garcinia cambogia itself may not be terrible, the ingredients it comes packaged with in some weight-loss supplements can be.

In 2017, for example, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning about the weight-loss supplement Fruta Planta Life, which is marketed as “Garcinia Cambogia Premium” and contains garcinia cambogia extract and sibutramine (Meridia), an appetite suppressant that was removed from the market in 2010 due to safety concerns. Sibutramine had been shown to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, cause jaundice, and trigger seizures-pretty nasty stuff.

Another thing to note: since garcinia cambogia extract diet pills are supplements, not drugs, the FDA doesn’t regulate their use or review their effectiveness or safety unless their use becomes linked to multiple hospitalizations, says Sue Decotiis, M.D., a medical weight-loss expert. That means that it’s up to manufacturers to decide how much garcinia cambogia extract their pills pack, as well as what other health-impacting ingredients (like sibutramine) are added to the mix.

I probably shouldn’t take garcinia cambogia…right?

Uh yeah, it’s best to skip it. Possible side effects aside, Kahan says any weight-loss supplement containing garcinia cambogia is a waste of money.

And honestly, that goes for weight-loss supplements in general. “Unlike medical therapies, supplements and various diets and practices are not bound by strict requirements for clinical evaluation and evidence,” says Kahan, adding that “it’s unlikely that all the advertised claims are true.”

Basically, diet supplements-including ones containing garcinia cambogia-aren’t worth the risk, or money. If you want to lose weight, speak to your doctor first, and focus on combining a healthy, balanced diet with regular exercise, suggests Kahan.

The bottom line: Don’t waste your money on any weight-loss supplements (including ones with garcinia cambogia). At best, they’re ineffective; at worst, they’re harmful.

The problem with most diet pills available in the market is that they only have one major effect, which is to reduce weight. Now, when a diet pill focuses on weight loss to the exclusion of everything else, while the weight loss may be achieved, it is not likely to last for long. You will probably regain the fat after just a few weeks of stopping the weight loss plan.

That’s why PhenQ diet pills are so effective for weight loss as they attack the causes of weight loss, and not just the symptom. PhenQ diet pills have all the qualities you would expect from a top-rated fat loss supplement, and it is great for your general health as well.

Let’s look at some of the benefits of PhenQ diet pills…

PhenQ Diet Pills Benefits

#1: PhenQ Diet Pills boost your energy and improve your mood

#2: They slow down the natural fat production of the body and help you lose weight.

#3: PhenQ stops your constant craving for food; it stops you from emotional eating or binge eating.

#4: Taking PhenQ on a regular basis helps burn the stored fat, giving you a better-defined look.

#5: PhenQ has over 700 positive testimonies from real users from the USA and the UK.

#6: PhenQ helps you lose up to 4 to 5 lbs in four weeks, which is really very quick. It works with people of all ages, men, and women.

Let’s compare PhenQ with some of the other diet pills in the industry…

PhenQ versus Phen375

img source: healthsupplementtips.com

 

PhenQ is often compared with Phen375. Phen375 is also a very effective weight loss solution with powerful fat burning ingredients. Phen375 helps to turbo-charge metabolism, suppresses appetite, and breaks down fatty tissue. It reduces the body’s inclination to store fat. The difference between PhenQ and Phen375 is that PhenQ takes a better approach, a more holistic one, to weight loss. PhenQ uses a comprehensive and multi-pronged strategy for weight loss which includes burning fat, suppressing the appetite and developing lean muscle mass. Phen375 primarily focuses on weight loss, much more so than it does on other issues. For this reason, PhenQ diet pills are healthier and more effective alternatives to Phen375.

PhenQ versus Garcinia Cambogia Extract

img source: dietpillreviews.com

Garcinia cambogia first became popular after getting featured on the famous Dr. Oz show back in 2012. Garcinia cambogia is an exotic green fruit that looks like a much smaller version of pumpkin. The skin of the fruit contains a chemical called HCA or hydroxycitric acid, which is known to have proven weight loss benefits. However, taking garcinia cambogia would give you a weight loss of just 2 lbs over four weeks, which is much lesser than what you get with PhenQ 4 to 5 lbs. So the weight loss with garcinia cambogia is not as noticeable as with PhenQ.

PhenQ versus Meratrim

img source: sporter.com

Meratrim is a new diet pill that has entered the market which consists of two plant extracts that are said to change the metabolism of fat cells. Not much is known about its effectiveness as only one test has been done on Meratrim. PhenQ, on the other hand, has been through several clinical trials and has been found to be very effective in most of them. PhenQ also gets a number of positive reviews and testimonials from real users.

PhenQ versus Raspberry Ketones

img source: nutritionforest.com

Raspberry ketone is a natural substance found in raspberries. Synthetic versions of Raspberry Ketone are sold as diet pills. They are believed to lead to rapid weight loss by breaking down fat and increasing the production of a hormone called adiponectin, which is related to faster weight loss. However, so far clinical trials using Raspberry Ketones have only been done on rats and not on humans. For this reason, we recommend PhenQ which is a proven weight loss solution to something that is as untested as Raspberry Ketone.