Weight loss medications that are advertised as appetite suppressors are said to suppress a person's appetite allowing them to consume a lesser amount a food. The common ingredient in most herbal appetite suppressors is HCA which is short for hydroxycitric acid. HCA is found in the herb Garcinia cambogia. It is claimed that HCA suppresses the appetite and slows down the conversion of carbohydrates into fat by inhibiting certain enzyme processes. Most studies done on people taking herbal medications that contain HCA have failed to show any significant weight loss so the effectiveness of appetite suppressors is still unknown.
Chromium in the form of chromium picolinate is also being marketed as an active ingredient in some appetite suppressors. The claim that chromium picolinate assists weight loss has yet to be proven in any credible studies. Anyone who is thinking about taking an appetite suppressant that contains chromium picolinate may want to note that an excessive intake of chromium may lead to kidney failure.
Phenylpropanolamine (PPA), another popular ingredient in appetite suppressors, was banned in November 2000 by the FDA. Studies done on the effectiveness of PPA combined with diet and exercise for weight loss have shown at best a half pound greater weight loss per week than diet and exercise alone. Also, the appetite-reducing effect of PPA is only temporary and may only be useful for the first few weeks of dieting. The FDA banned PPA in 2000 because it has been linked to an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke which can result in death or severe disability.
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