Metabolife
Results
What
Results You Can Expect When Taking Metabolife 356
Like many other ephedrine/caffeine-based products on the market,
Metabolife 356 will induce thermogenesis
(raise your body's temperature) and cause you to burn more calories.
Other Metabolife results include: suppressing your appetite, preserving
lean muscle mass, and increasing your energy levels. Ginger root
helps to reduce the gastrointestinal upset that can sometimes
occur with caffeine, while Siberian ginseng helps reduce the production
of the catabolic hormone cortisol, which can increase during a
diet and exercise program.
Be aware that there are some widely documented side effects associated
with ephedrine/caffeine-based products. For more information,
see Metabolife 356 Health
Risks.
What the Individual Ingredients Do
Metabolife 356 contains a variety of nutrients that helps you
to lose weight through different mechanisms. But the main ingredients
that produce its fat-burning effects are ephedrine and caffeine.
Studies have shown that when these ingredients are combined in
fairly specific ratios – 200 mg caffeine to 20 mg ephedrine
(two or three times daily) – the results are synergistic.
In other words, the effects of each are greater than the sum of
their individual effects.
Here is a breakdown of the individual ingredients in Metabolife
356 and what they do:
Metabolife
Results From Ephedra
Ephedrine
is the primary fat-burning chemical in the Ephedra sinica plant,
from which it gets its name. Also known as ma huang, this plant
has a long history of usage in Asian countries for the treatment
of asthma and other bronchial conditions. A related chemical,
pseudoephedrine, is also found in the plant and is an ingredient
in many cold and flu remedies.
Ephedrine is a stimulant that works on the adrenergic receptors
of the central nervous system. It has been shown to increase the
level of dopamine, which is a precursor to both epinephrine and
norepinephrine, which are vital neurotransmitters. Dopamine is
also an important neurotransmitter around the hypothalamus, an
area of the brain that is important for body arousal. Unlike caffeine,
which exerts many of its benefits in muscle tissue, ephedrine
appears to work primarily on the central nervous system.
Ephedrine is an effective fat burner on its own, and when it is
combined with caffeine, the effects are even greater. While the
reasons for this are still not known, it is thought that caffeine
has a "permissive" action on ephedrine, lowering the
amounts needed to achieve its physiological effects. In other
words, caffeine potentiates ephedrine's effect. The E/C studies
that showed the greatest benefits used a 10:1 ratio of caffeine
to ephedrine.
Metabolife
Results From Caffeine
The caffeine
source in Metabolife 356 is guarana seed extract. Guarana is a
bushy tree that grows in the Amazon rainforest. Known botanically
as Paullina cupana, it is almost as popular as coffee in Brazil.
Guarana does not have as much acid as coffee, so it can be less
irritating to the stomach than coffee can. Guarana also has epicathechin
and proanthocyanidins, both of which are powerful antioxidants
that help reduce free-radical damage in cells. Epicathechin is
chemically related to epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which prolongs
the life of norepinephrine. As a result, the epicathechin may
keep the thermogenic process going for a even longer period of
time, further boosting your metabolic rate and facilitating fat
loss.
As far as fat burning is concerned, the primary active ingredient
in guarana is caffeine. This plant chemical is rapidly absorbed
by the body and remains in circulation for more than seven hours.
Plasma concentrations reach a peak one hour after it is consumed.
It is then slowly metabolized, with a half-life of four to six
hours.
Caffeine has been shown to dramatically increase free fatty-acid
levels, providing the body with a fuel source that it can use
instead of the glycogen stored in your liver and muscles. In fact,
one study found a 100% increase in plasma free fatty acids after
the subjects took 330 mg of caffeine.
At the same time, caffeine has been shown to increase adrenaline
levels. This "fight-or-flight" hormone increases alertness
and boosts energy levels, helping you to go through your daily
tasks with less food intake. Most people experience a reduced
appetite when their adrenaline levels are high, usually because
they are focused on more essential tasks. With these two mechanisms,
it's easy to understand why caffeine is important for jump-starting
your weight-loss efforts.
Metabolife
Results From Ginger root
Ginger (Zingiber
officinale) is indigenous to tropical Asia and is now cultivated
in tropical areas throughout the world. The rhizome, which is
technically an underground stem instead of a root, contains oleoresins
that are rich in gingerols. These compounds have a variety of
sedative effects. Ginger is traditionally used to calm the stomach
and as a treatment for motion sickness. Since some individuals
experience gastrointestinal upset with caffeine and other stimulatory
chemicals, ginger should help to eliminate this occasional side
effect. Ginger does not have any fat-burning properties.
Metabolife
Results From Siberian ginseng
Siberian
ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosis) has a well-deserved reputation
as an adaptogen. This means that it helps the body to deal with
stress, including the stress caused by a diet and exercise program.
Siberian ginseng has been shown to reduce the secretion of cortisol
in the adrenal glands. Cortisol is a catabolic hormone that can
eat away at muscle tissue, so it is best to keep it under control.
Siberian ginseng also promotes the health of the adrenal gland
while strengthening the immune system and helping the body fight
inflammation. The quantity of Siberian ginseng in this formulation
is not indicated.
Metabolife
Results From Chromium picolinate
Chromium
is a mineral that helps insulin bind to its receptor sites. It
is also involved in the metabolism of glucose for energy. A deficiency
of chromium can lead to increased fat storage, fatigue, sugar
cravings and mood swings, all of which are counterproductive to
your weight-loss goals. The average American does not get close
to enough chromium, so supplementation is often required. Getting
your chromium in a fat burner is as good as buying and consuming
it separately.
The picolinate part of the molecule increases the bioavailability
of the chromium compared to the pure metal. While there is a lot
of brouhaha about the supposed advantages of specific carrier
molecules, no comparative research has ever been done. All of
the commonly available forms of chromium supplements are sufficiently
bioavailable to eliminate any deficiency of this mineral that
you may have.
Metabolife
Results From Other ingredients
The five
ingredients described so far in this section are the ones that
will provide virtually all of the benefit from this product. The
remaining nutrients are either unproven or are – in all
likelihood – included in such low dosages that they will
not burn significant amounts of fat (even if they would have worked
if taken in larger quantities). Since the amounts of each nutrient
in the proprietary blend are not specified, it is impossible to
say for sure.
Lecithin was once popular as a fat-burning agent back before the
ephedrine/caffeine blend became popular. It helps to metabolize
fatty acids, but this is normally not a limiting factor in fat
loss. As a result, you are not likely to experience any benefit
from it. Bovine complex is completely ambiguous. It comes from
a cow, but what part of the cow is unknown. Even if it's glandular
extracts, it's no going to help you burn fat. The spirulina and
seven additional herbs in Metabolife 356 have a variety of benefits
in promoting general health, as do the vitamins and minerals.
However, there is no evidence that they contribute to thermogenesis
or fat loss in any appreciable way.
While this
article sheds light on the results you can expect from the individual
ingredients in Metabolife 356, the only true way to experience
Metabolife results is to actually try the product out yourself.
For more information
on Metabolife, see the following parts of this review:
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