- Natural weight loss supplements contain caffeine, green tea, green coffee bean and mango from Africa.
- Caffeine supplements can cause fat breakdown and help you burn more calories.
- Green tea contains EGCG, which is an antioxidant found in many weight loss supplements.
- Visit the Insider’s Health Reference Library for more advice.
To lose weight effectively, the most important thing is to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. But for some people, natural weight loss supplements can also help change your lifestyle changes.
“Natural weight loss supplements can help you lose weight in three ways – increasing the number of calories you burn, reducing your appetite and reducing your ability to absorb calories from food,” says Dimitar Marinov, MD, PhD , an assistant professor with expertise. in nutrition at the Medical University of Varna, Bulgaria.
Here’s how caffeine, green tea and other popular ingredients found in natural weight loss supplements can help you lose weight and how it works.
1. Caffeine
You are probably already familiar with caffeine from your morning cup of coffee. But caffeine can be found in cola nut, tea and other herbs. It is a common ingredient in many weight loss supplements because it is a stimulant that can cause fat breakdown and burn you more calories.
In a 2018 review, researchers found that a doubling of caffeine intake led to increased weight loss. In addition, a small study in 2005 found a greater decrease in weight, fat mass and waistline in high caffeine consumers compared to the placebo group.
For most adults, 400 to 500 milligrams (mg) of caffeine is usually recommended as a safe amount for daily caffeine consumption, but you run the risk of being shaky and restless. If you consume excess caffeine, you can build up a tolerance to it, which reduces its effectiveness. At very high doses, caffeine can also cause nausea and vomiting.
2. Green coffee bean
Green coffee bean is used in many nutritional supplements because some evidence shows that it can help reduce fat and convert blood sugar into energy instead of fat.
In a 2011 review of studies on the effectiveness of green coffee bean extract as a weight loss supplement, researchers found that green coffee beans can promote weight loss. However, more research is needed to determine its full consequences.
The National Institutes of Health says that green coffee bean is safe if you consume less than 12 mg per day for less than 12 weeks. Some people may experience minor side effects such as headaches and develop urinary tract infections (UTIs) if they use green coffee beans.
3. Green tea
In addition to being a popular beverage around the world, green tea is a common ingredient in many weight loss supplements. It is believed that green tea can help you lose weight by increasing the amount of calories your body burns and reducing the fat absorption and the amount of fat your body makes.
In a small 2008 study on the effectiveness of green tea for weight loss in obese people, researchers divided the participants into two groups. The first group received green tea, and the second a placebo over a period of 12 weeks. At the end of the study, researchers found that there was a difference of 3.3 kg in weight loss between the participants in the group who drank the tea and the placebo group. They concluded that green tea can help with weight loss.
According to Marinov, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which is the major antioxidant in green tea, is a common ingredient in many weight loss solutions. However, evidence of the efficacy of EGCG on weight loss is inconsistent. Most studies find that EGCG is most effective when taken in combination with caffeine.
If you are going to use green tea as a weight loss supplement, keep in mind that pills that contain green tea extract may not be safe. Drinking plain green tea is a better alternative.
4. African mango
African mango is thought to help with weight loss by preventing the formation of adipose tissue. Although it is safe to use African mango, some people have said that they experience minor side effects such as flatulence, headaches and sleep problems.
African mango can also be one of the more risky supplements for weight loss. “There is little evidence and a lack of dosing guidelines based on scientific studies. There are also very few explanations for its interaction with medication and side effects,” says Jagdish Khubchandan, PhD, a professor in the department of nutrition and health sciences. New Mexico State University.
However, short-term administration in some experimental studies has shown that mangoes from Africa can help with weight loss and weight control. In a 2009 study on whether an African mango seed extract could help with weight loss in overweight, researchers divided a group of 102 participants into two. One group received the seed extract for 10 weeks every day, and the other group received a placebo.
At the end of the study, the researchers found that there was a significant decrease in body weight, fat, and waist circumference among the people who received the extract, compared to the placebo group.
Insider’s takeaway
Although research has some promising consequences, many of these natural supplements for weight loss have yet to be proven, and they carry the risk of side effects. On top of that, they do not help to lose weight.
“Natural weight loss supplements are only effective if you control your diet and calorie intake. It can make it easier to maintain a calorie deficit, eat less and lose weight, but the only way to ensure weight loss is to to track your food intake, ”says Marinov.
In general, it is important to talk to a doctor or nutritionist about the right health plan to lose weight safely and effectively.