Thermogenic Weight Control

Thermogenic weight loss really does work, and here's why...

The following information comes from some of very reliable alternative health sources -- that is, people who are medical professionals as well as from product vendors who provide full scientific information concerning their products. This is reliable and accurate information. I have also tested the following information on myself and found it to be true. The only "problem" is that it is unconventional, and some people are just unable to accept unconventional things.

There are a few thermogenic ("fat burning") supplement formulas on the market to aid in losing weight. The best one I know contains ephedra, yohimbe, DHEA, chromium, and other ingredients (caffeine, willow bark, dandelion root, ginger root, B2, C, and valerian root). I do not have a weight problem (Iım about 160 lbs. and 6 ft.), but I tested the effect of the ingredients on myself. I noticed a decline in hunger, and I also lost about 5% of my weight over about 5 weeks, although I was not especially trying to. I monitored both my weight and my measurements, and I lost about an inch from my waist and an inch from my thighs.

The ephedra is a beta-receptor stimulator on the brown adipose tissue (BAT), which is what burns up fat. Frequent stimulation of BAT actually causes the BAT cells to proliferate, thus enhancing the bodyıs ability to burn fat as we age.

Adding a beta-agonist (such as caffeine) to the ephedra enhances the ability to burn fat. Ephedra given to lab animals alone caused them to lose 14% of their body weight (42% of their body fat). Adding caffeine increased the loss to 25% of body weight (75% of body fat). Human subjects also found that the combination was twice as effective as ephedra alone.

Fat tends to accumulate in breast, buttocks, and thighs because these areas have four times as many alpha-receptors as betas (the alpha acts like a brake and slows down fat burning metabolism). Yohimbe acts as an alpha blocker, and so can accelerate weight loss in these areas because the BAT can function at a higher level of efficiency than it could normally.

DHEA has been experimentally proven to aid in weight loss (as well as deter weight gain), but the mechanism of action is presently unknown. DHEA is associated with reducing food intake, and I have been taking DHEA for a year and noticed this myself. (DHEA is a hormone precursor which is produced in the body. As the body ages its ability to produce it declines, so that by old age the body can produce only very small amounts. Supplementing DHEA from about age 40 on thus enhances a wide range of body functions, including memory, mental acuity, physical activity, sexuality, and the general sense of well-being.) There is also evidence that DHEA might have a synergistic mode of operation with weight loss which would add to the effects of the other systems noted here. Note also that sublingual DHEA is about four times more effective than DHEA taken through digestion.

Chromium is involved in glucose metabolism and in many studies has been proven to be effective in helping convert fat into muscle as part of the metabolic process. Weight measurements alone can be misleading with evaluating the results of this supplement, since muscle weighs more than fat. Actual body measurements need to be taken.

All of the above are combined together to produce a truly thermogenic formula which I know works. However, there are a number of formulas marketed as thermogenic which do not contain complementary mechanisms of action such as the above formula. Buyer beware, as always.

The above supplement formula is one dose twice a day of the following: 120 mg ephedra (6:1 extract), 150 mg yohimbe powder (4:1 extract containing 4 mg of yohimbine), 10 mg DHEA, 100 mcg chromium picolinate, and small amounts of caffeine and other ingredients. IMPORTANT! Ephedra can raise blood pressure, so people taking blood pressure medication or with other circulatory problems should take this with great care, preferably consulting a physician.

The actual formula can be purchased directly from Life Enhancement Products as ³DHEA THERMOPLEX.² It costs about $1 a day. Alternatively, these ingredients can be obtained from local health food stores or by mail and combined by the user. This would cost less and might not be as optimal a formula, but could still prove acceptable.

It is now possible to get the drugs marketed as Redux and Fen-Phen for weight loss. Iıve heard these are effective for most users, although not for everyone. The general purpose of these is simply appetite supression. Unfortunately, these work like most drugs, with some side effects in many cases, and greater expense than what is discussed above. Information on these drugs can be obtained through conventional medical channels.