Diet Fuel Review
The combination
of ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin is a widely documented nutritional
method of inducing weight loss. Numerous studies have confirmed
the effectiveness of the ingredients in Diet
Fuel. For more discussion on what results you can expect when
taking Diet Fuel, see Diet Fuel
Facts.
Like any fat
burner, Diet Fuel is only as good as its ingredients. So to get
a valid Diet Fuel review, its important to have a complete analysis
of each of its fat-burning ingredients.
Diet Fuel Review:
Ingredients In Diet Fuel
Ephedrine
and Caffeine
Renowned weight-loss expert Arne Astrup, MD, and his associates
performed a study with ephedrine at the University of Copenhagen
and two Danish hospitals. Five young females were given 20 mg
of ephedrine three times per day one hour before meals and were
told to continue eating normally. Even though there was no dieting
involved, the women lost an average of 2.5 kg of body weight after
four weeks and 5.5 kg after 12 weeks. They also held onto their
lean muscle, while their body-fat percentage dropped by 3.5% after
four weeks and 5.2% after 12 weeks. Two months after the experiment
stopped, they had only gained back 0.5 kg. The only side effect
was a mild rise in blood pressure at the start of the experiment.
Two studies by the same Danish researchers indicate the benefits
of combining ephedrine with caffeine. In both studies, the participants
took a supplement with 20 mg of ephedrine and 200 mg of caffeine
three times per day. They also followed a low-calorie diet. In
the first study, the test subjects lost 16.2% of their body weight
in 24 weeks, significantly more than the 13.4% loss by the placebo
group. The second study confirmed that most of this loss was body
fat. In that eight-week study, the E/C group lost 10.1 kg, compared
to only 8.4 kg with the placebo. But the E/C group lost twice
as much fat (9.0 kg vs. 4.5 kg) and much less fat-free mass (1.1
kg vs. 3.9 kg). Only mild side effects were reported.
The E/C combination has been extensively studied, but space limitations
do not allow a detailed listing of the many studies that have
showed benefits. All of this research, however, supports the effectiveness
of the E/C stack and demonstrates the moderate level of side effects
when you take appropriate dosages. (For information on side effects
of Diet Fuel, see Diet Fuel
Side Effects.)
A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
found that when green tea was taken instead of pure caffeine,
the thermogenic effects were even stronger. This six-week study
compared the benefits of pure caffeine (50 mg), green tea extract
(with 50 mg of caffeine and 90 mg of EGCG) and placebo. The pills
were given three times per day. The green tea group experienced
a significant 4% increase in thermogenesis and a 4.5% boost in
overall energy expenditure.
Hydroxycitric acid (HCA)
A double-blind study published in the American Journal of
Bariatric Medicine looked at HCA's effects. The two-month
study gave 500 mg of Garcinia cambogia extract (equivalent to
250 mg of HCA) to overweight volunteers three times daily prior
to meals. The subjects in the HCA group had an average weight
loss of 5 kg, compared to a drop of only 1.8 kg in the placebo
group. (A kilogram is 2.2 pounds.) No side effects were reported
in this study, nor were any adverse effects noted in an earlier
rodent study. HCA appears to be safe and effective.
Chromium picolinate
The studies on chromium are all over the board. While it can be
very helpful for diabetics, the demonstrated benefits (or lack
thereof) for nondiabetics depend on the nutritional status of
the participants and the amount and length of the supplementation
program. One study that did show a benefit from the use of chromium
picolinate was presented at the national meeting of the Federation
of American Societies for Experimental Biology in 2000. This study
found a 40% increase in glucose uptake into muscle tissue compared
to the placebo group.
Since insulin can also transport glucose to the fat cells for
storage, these results suggest that chromium helps to shunt the
glucose towards the active working tissues where it can be burned
for energy. The end result could well be a loss in body fat, although
this benefit was not measured. The bottom line is that chromium
is an essential nutrient that is often deficient in most people's
diets. Eliminating this deficiency should at a minimum increase
your adherence to your diet by improving your energy levels and
reducing mood swings.
L-carnitine
While carnitine is discussed in many different review articles
as a factor in fat metabolism, there is little research on the
benefits of carnitine supplementation. One study at the University
of Connecticut found that L-carnitine tartrate reduces the muscle
disruption that usually occurs during weight training by 41% to
45%. Since exercise should be an important part of your weight-loss
strategy (both to build muscle and to increase caloric expenditure),
this ought to promote your fat-burning efforts by enhancing your
recovery from the rigors of your workout program. No published
studies have looked at the thermogenic potential of L-carnitine
by itself.
Phosphates
In a study published in the Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology,
researchers studied the effects of phosphate supplementation on
metabolic rate during a weight-loss program. For eight weeks,
36 overweight women followed a 1,000-calorie diet and were instructed
to maintain their normal activity patterns. During the first four
weeks, half of the women took a phosphate supplement while the
other half consumed a placebo. In the second four weeks, the groups
switched. The women in the phosphate group had resting metabolic
rates that were 12% to 19% higher than those in the placebo group.
According to the researchers, this was due to the supplement's
ability to maintain the level of thyroid hormone T3 higher than
it otherwise would have been.
Citrus bioflavonoid complex
Numerous studies have indicated that the citrus bioflavonoid naringin
prolongs the chemical activity of caffeine. Research published
in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found
that the half-life of caffeine was extended by 31% when naringin
was present in sufficient amounts. Studies of various citrus fruits
have shown that grapefruit has by far the highest content of naringin.
It is, in fact, what gives grapefruit its characteristic bitter
taste. The activity of other citrus bioflavonoids has not been
studied.
Ginger root
Ginger has a long history of use as a treatment for motion sickness.
In one double-blind, placebo-controlled study by Danish researchers,
naval cadets unaccustomed to sailing in rough seas were given
1 gm of ginger root or placebo every hour for four hours. The
ginger root reduced the tendency toward vomiting and cold sweating.
Thermogenic formulations only produce gastrointestinal distress
in some sensitive individuals, so ginger should definitely be
able to relieve these much milder symptoms. There are no studies
showing that ginger by itself has fat-burning properties.
Cayenne
The capsaicin in cayenne has been shown to be effective in animal
and human experiments. In a recent 14-day study, rats were given
capsaicin or placebo and put on an exercise program. Compared
to the control rats, the capsaicin group had a greater reduction
in their fat stores. These benefits appear to take place with
both high-carb and high-fat diets. A study of Japanese women on
these two types of diets found that adding cayenne to their food
led to increased energy expenditure and fat oxidation. Both of
these effects would result in a loss of body fat over time.
While this
Diet Fuel review sheds light on the clinical studies performed
on Diet Fuel's ingredients, the only real way to determine its
effectiveness is to actually try the product out for yourself.
To compare
Diet Fuel prices among several top on-line sources, see Cheapest
Diet Fuel Online.
To find out
more about how Diet Fuel works, see Does
Diet Fuel Work.
|
