| |
The Natural Fat Loss Pharmacy |
 |
Introduction & Overview |
The Natural Fat Loss Pharmacy is a weight loss book by Harry Preuss, MD. This book claims to be “the first and only reliable guide to the nutritional supplements and herbs that can safely and effectively help you lose weight and keep it off.” The book offers suggestions on how to “turbo-charge fat burning exercise” through certain supplements. The book also claims to teach consumers about “the weight-loss supplements that aren’t likely to work or are possibly unsafe.” The book even seems to promise an “easy-to-follow, no-diet food plan for controlling calories, and a simple, no-sweat approach to physical activity for long-term weight control.”
It seems to us that Preuss’ message about the importance of supplementation could not come at a more relevant time – it has been said that obesity is fast becoming the #1 underlying cause of preventable deaths. Some researchers have claimed that even a moderate weight gain of as little as 10 pounds can increase the risk of death, particularly among those over age 30. For this reason, we feel that individuals should be doing all they can to reach a healthy weight through diet, exercise and supplementation. However, we found some of Dr. Preuss’ supplement recommendations to be questionable, both in terms of effectiveness and safety. In addition, we were a bit concerned by phrases like “no-sweat” and “no-diet,” which almost seem to evoke the “get thin quick” jargon of weight loss scams. We will evaluate this book based on the soundness of its advice and the reality of its claims.
|
| Pros |
• Teaches the value of supplementation
• Provides advice about diet and exercise
• Seems to focus on long-term results
|
| Cons |
• Caffeine makes Green Tea a questionable recommendation
• Some forms of Chromium are said to have side effects
• “Starch blockers” are generally not embraced by regulatory agencies
• Hydroxycitric Acid (HCA) is considered ineffective by some
|
| Concept |
The main supplement recommendations made by Dr. Preuss are Green Tea Extract, Medium-Chain Triglycerides, CLA, 5-HTP, Chromium, White Kidney Bean Extract, Hydroxycitric Acid and HMB. While Green Tea may have antioxidant properties, we have concerns about a supplement that contains Caffeine. Caffeine is said to increase levels of the stress hormone Cortisol, which is a known factor in weight gain. In addition, Caffeine may cause stimulant side effects such as rapid heartbeat, anxiety, insomnia and irritability. It may also increase heart-attack risk for some, if consumed regularly.
While we are not sure which form of Chromium Dr. Preuss recommends, we are concerned with two forms of Chromium. Chromium Picolinate may cause DNA damage, and Chromium Polynicotinate may lead to dizziness, fainting and low blood pressure. The popular supplement Hydroxycitric Acid, which demonstrated impressive results in animal tests, did not yield similar effects in humans. In fact, one expert claims, “Studies seem to indicate that Hydroxycitric Acid has no positive effects, and no value as a weight loss and dieting aid.” Finally, it seems that White Kidney Bean-based “starch blockers” are also said to be largely ineffective, and are still not recommended by regulatory agencies.
|
| Website |
This book does not appear to have its own Website, but does have a section on the Website of its publisher. This section gives an overview of the book, describes Dr. Preuss’ recommendations, and provides a brief biography of the author and his co-author, Bill Gottlieb. Consumers can also purchase the book from this site. We were somewhat disappointed to see claims of losing weight and building muscle “without diet or exercise.”
|
| Similar Programs |
We feel that similar books generally might provide more than basic supplement recommendations, particularly since these recommendations struck us as questionable. We were quite surprised by some of the supplements Dr. Preuss chose to embrace, particularly given apparent evidence of their inadvisability. In particular, we felt he might have also included the cactus-derived Hoodia Gordonii, which serves as a powerful herbal appetite suppressant.
|
| Conclusion |
There are a wide range of opinions among health care experts and nutritional gurus, but we do not feel that this book provides the strongest suggestions for long-term weight loss.
For those who may be having a difficult time losing weight, supplements containing Hoodia may be helpful. The power of this ingredient is said to be increased when paired with the metabolism booster Advantra-Z®.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
