Does Hydroxycut Work
With amazing
before and after photos prominently displayed in virtually every
magazine ad for Hydroxycut, most consumers
would be hard-pressed to ever imagine Hydroxycut wouldn't work.
But, as with all thermogenic diet pills, Hydroxycut's effectiveness
will vary from individual to individual, depending on a variety
of factors. In other words, there's no clear cut answer to the
question "Does Hydroxycut Work?"
Hydroxycut's
two primary mechanisms of action in the body are: 1) thermogenesis,
and 2) appetite suppression.
Our bodies have three broad heat modulators: the thyroid hormones,
the adrenergic hormones (epinephrine and the weaker norepinephrine),
and the prostaglandin hormones. Hydroxycut and other ECA-based
fat burners seem to mimic and intensify the adrenergic hormones,
which mobilize fatty acids from our triglyceride stores and force
the skeletal muscles to use more fatty acids for heat production.
Aspirin may inhibit the "bad" prostaglandins that lower
your body temperature. The ECA stack can therefore be a good aid
to weight loss, but it can also cause side effects if not used
with care.
Thermogenesis
Ephedrine
Ephedrine has been shown to increase the effectiveness of thermogenesis
(fat burning) in the body. It has powerful effects on the cellular
mechanisms that control fat release from fat cells. Some of these
effects include contributing to the release and blocking the re-uptake
of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. This gives norepinephrine
the ability to continuously stimulate receptors in your body,
causing fat cell "flood gates" to open and facilitate
fat loss. The Chinese herb ma huang (Ephedra sinica) is the chief
natural source of the ephedrine family of compounds, although
there are other minor sources, such as Sida cordifolia.
Caffeine
The second key thermogenic ingredient – caffeine –
is a methylxanthine that stimulates hormone-induced fat burning.
Sources in Hydroxycut include green tea and guarana. Caffeine
works by increasing free fatty-acid concentrations and adrenaline
levels. This results in greater lipolysis (oxidation of fats for
energy), which can drain your fat stores over time. This change
in a muscle's utilization of energy substrates can have a profound
effect on fat loss. Caffeine also heightens mental alertness,
which can positively affect your motivation to exercise and create
the caloric deficit needed to lose body fat.
Aspirin
Aspirin is merely the popular name for acetysalicylic acid. Both
aspirin and salicin, however, have the further benefit of raising
the body's internal "thermostat," so that the increased
production of heat, which is typical of ECA products, does not
set off alarms in the body. White willow bark is one natural source
of compounds similar to aspirin. Its extracts are not nearly as
concentrated as aspirin, so you have to take a lot more of it
and for some people this can cause even more stomach upset than
aspirin, due to the presence of certain tannins. Generally, however,
the salicin content of white willow bark is thought to be less
damaging than the salicylates in aspirin. You may have to experiment
with different combinations to determine which form is best tolerated.
Appetite Suppressant
The ECA stack reduces appetite, which seems to account for about
three-quarters of the weight loss you might experience. The other
one-quarter is accounted for by increased thermogenesis.
At fairly high doses, versions of the ECA stack can cause a significant
increase in the number of calories burned each day. In one trial
published just this year, 50 mg of ephedrine was given to volunteers
three times per day. Under these controlled conditions and using
very precise monitors to measure energy expenditure, it was found
that 3.6% more energy was expended in a 24-hour period.
The hydroxycitric acid (HCA) in Hydroxycut also exerts a mild
effect on appetite suppression by increasing glucose and glycogen
production in the liver, which tricks the hunger receptors and
keeps them from sending hunger sensations to the brain. While
nowhere near as strong as the ECA stack, when you're trying to
shed fat, every bit helps. The combination of ingredients in Hydroxycut
therefore has powerful fat-burning effects.
The only way
to really find out the answer to the question "Does Hydroxycut
Work" is to actually try it out for yourself.
For more information
about Hydroxycut, please click on the following links:
|
