There seems to be a growing trend around campus for students to turn for a little extra help when it comes to weight management. Not isolated to Liverpool, students up and down the country are looking for a boost or a quick fix, but does such a thing exist?
There are literally thousands of products on offer, all promising you fantastic results with shedding the pounds, feeling energized, and reducing those inches. But what are they? How do they claim to work? And most importantly, just how do they affect our bodies?
We took a look at some of the various types of weight loss pills and fat strippers, and at the most common brands to see just how much substance lies within their claims. A key point to note here is that most people do not realise, they want to lose body fat, not ‘weight’. Losing weight is an all over loss in water, muscle, fat and bone mass. Not good! Unfortunately, more irresponsible companies prey upon this ignorance when designing their advertisements.
First on the list are appetite suppressants. Known as anoretics, or anorexigenics, an appetite suppressant is either a natural or chemical substance that reduces the desire to consume food and decreases hunger cravings. They lower the levels of some of the brain’s neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and serotonine, which trick the part of the brain that controls hunger into thinking the body has met its food requirements, which doesn’t sound too healthy.
One of the most popular brands, ‘The Pink Patch’ has recently been surrounded by controversy, which caused adverts publicising it to be banned. However it still, for some strange reason remains popular. The Pink Patch claims “Fastest, easiest way to help you lose weight, Finally lose fat on your stomach, hips & thighs, one a day patch is all you need to help you get skinny . . . Created by women exclusively for the active woman of today, The Pink Diet Patch delivers all natural ingredients to help even the most challenged dieter:
– Control hunger and cravings
– Reduce calorie consumption by up to 1000 calories per day
– Lose weight without following complicated diets
– Maintain your social life
– Melt body fat from trouble areas
– Diet privately
– Avoid fatigue and irritability that comes from fad-diets
The Pink Diet Patch’s flat, slim profile and discreet design allows you to apply it anywhere on your body. It’s your perfect secret diet solution.”
As any trainer will tell you, it is impossible to remove fat from an isolated part of the body, an unfortunate fact of life, and one of the reasons the pink patch falls under so much fire.
The Pink Patch has been criticised for advertising on Facebook, hotmail and other high-traffic sites, for what was seen as a deliberate attempt to prey on vulnerable teenage girls and young women. It has fallen victim to the Advertising Standards Authority, who concluded that there was insufficient scientific advice to support the claims that women could drop a stone in 2 weeks, which in itself is grossly unhealthy and against medical and nutritional advice, thus forcing the company to withdraw its adverts.
By far the safest, most effective, and remarkably the cheapest appetite suppressant is a pint of water.
Next, we look at fat blockers. They ultimately ‘work’ by creating a chemical change within the body’s digestive system which prevents it from absorbing fats, or some carbohydrates, consumed through the diet. The change induces the re-formulation of fat molecules in the stomach, making them join together to form molecule chains that are simply too big for the body to absorb and are hence passed out as waste. Proactol, one of the most popular non-prescription fat blockers, depends on its patented main ingredient, a fibre complex called Neopuntia, sourced from the cactus most commonly known as prickly pear. Other than this ingredient, none of the others are listed on the official website, and neither is the quantities of the ingredients.
Thermogenics make up the bulk of the fat burning market, and ‘work’ by increasing the body’s metabolism throughout the day to make it burn more calories. They are mainly made up from coffee beans or tea extracts, and promise to raise levels of the hormone norepinephrine. This neurotransmitter is responsible for the ‘fight or flight’ reaction. Due to this heightened adrenaline production it causes very prominent and commonly occurring side effects such as: sweating, nausea, increased heart rate and high blood pressure, anxiety and restlessness. Any thermogenic supplement is dangerous to long term health when taken frequently and over a long period of time. The only way to safely increase the body’s metabolism is through exercise, which gives the compromise of a reduced rest heart rate and stronger cardiovascular system. Grenade’s ‘Thermo Detonator’ is the UK best selling fat burner, and is based on a green tea extract. Grenade falls under the more ‘responsible’ category when it comes to sports nutrition, with all their products designed to work alongside exercise, without promising miracles. They also produce a range of workout aids, designed to make every workout an ‘ explosive, energy fuelled assault’ .
This led our attention finally to workout aids. Are they necessary?
They come in 5 forms: nitric oxide, creatine, caffeine, BCAA, tyrosine and taurine. Caffeine and taurine are familiar to most of us, as being the staple ingredients in most energy drinks. These work in the same as was advertised in energy drinks, giving increased mental focus and blood flow by increasing the heart rate, with taurine also allowing better control in muscle contractions throughout the workout. BCAA’s (branch-chained amino acids) are key essential amino-acids that help reduce muscle fatigue, and so enable a prolonged and heavier weighted workout. Another amino acid pre-work out is tyrosine, which acts as an agent of neurotransmitters, and thus reduces hormonal stress from painful situations, and regulates the influence of stress during rigours workouts. Creatine, the most popular pre work out, and second only to protein shakes in the entire sports nutrition world, has been proven time and time again to work. As a natural resource produced in our bodies, it aids short, explosive workouts such as weight training or sprinting. It produces adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which provides the energy for muscle contractions. Then there are nitric oxides, the category in which Grenade falls into. They amplify the ability of the blood vessels to pump blood around the body, thus delivering more oxygen and nutrients to the muscles. Here is Grenade’s pre-workout advert:
“Grenade .50 Calibre is a hard hitting, pre workout designed to make every workout an explosive, energy fuelled assault. Powered by Grenade, the multi award winning sports nutrition specialists, .50 Calibre combines over 20 University tested ingredients, in high-potency dosages, designed to deliver devastating energy levels, incredible pump, endurance and anti-catabolic support. .50 Calibre is the ultimate pre workout ammunition for better exercise performance. Grenade .50 Calibre was formulated by our expert R&D team after evaluating and considering every possible natural component that has been studied to enhance physical performance. As such, Grenade (UK) Ltd believes that it is the most dynamic and innovative nitric oxide product available today.”
For serious trainers pre-workouts become part of everyday life, and when taken sensibly are effective. However on student budgets, a strong coffee beforehand does a good job.
In conclusion, as far as diet aids go, there does seem to be some very small science in these products, but not enough to warrant the price tag, and never enough to provide results by themselves. There will never be a substitute for healthy eating and regular exercise. The only way to get into shape, and stay in shape is to swap the pizza for a pair of trainers.
The verdict is: save your money!
