Approaches to Weight Loss

Obesity has been a problem in the United States for quite some time now. Most health care practitioners view obesity as a prelude to a variety of conditions that range from osteoarthritis to cardiovascular disease. An increasingly serious health issue involves obesity being associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. However, it’s not clear if obesity or diabetes develops first and this question has been a focus of considerable debate and research in recent years.

Calories and several other factors contribute to weight gain

A simplistic and sometimes convincing explanation of weight gain involves looking at calories consumed versus calories expended. The calorie in/calorie out concept readily explains weight gain when factors that seem to define the American lifestyle are considered. These factors include consuming large portions of high fat and high carbohydrate food coupled with a sedentary lifestyle. An estimated 68% of American adults qualify as overweight or obese because they eat more calories than they burn. Although this assessment of weight gain appears logical, there may be several other factors that contribute to the preponderance of obesity in the United States.

Lack of sleep and BPA

Research has shown that a lack of sufficient sleep (sleep debt) adversely affects the balance of at least two important hormone-like substances in the body. Prolonged periods of less than seven hours of sleep each night usually result in elevated levels of the appetite-stimulating ghrelin and reduced levels of the satiety-inducing leptin (1, 2). Exposure to excessive levels of BPA (bisphenol A is a known endocrine disruptor from certain types of plastics) has been shown to contribute directly to obesity in humans (3). Infections with adenovirus (there are 52 types of this DNA virus that can invade human cells) cause obesity in laboratory animals and this may correlate with similar infections in humans (4).

Supplements and weight loss programs

Nutritional supplements and weight loss programs can be safely and effectively employed in efforts to fight obesity. The following approaches and ingredients have offered benefit to many who have experienced weight gain and obesity:

1. Interference with fat absorption from the gastrointestinal tract.
   • Phytosterols such as beta-sitosterol.
   • Fiber such as psyllium (soluble fiber).
2.  Interference with sugar absorption by inhibiting starch breakdown in the small intestine.
   • Amylase inhibitor from the northern white kidney bean.
3. Cleansing to facilitate waste and toxin elimination.
   • Laxatives such as Cascara sagrada.
4. Enhanced breakdown of body fat (thermogenesis).
   • Alkaloids such as caffeine and synephrine.
5. Accelerated fatty acid oxidation.
   • Mitochondrial action of carnitine and acetylcarnitine.
6. Glandular support.
   • Kelp and 7-keto stimulate thyroid gland activity.
   • Holy basil, theanine, and DHEA counteract weight increase induced by  the stress hormone cortisol.
7. Meal replacement provides the proper balance of protein, carbohydrate, and fat as well as providing the vitamins, minerals, and supplement ingredients that are conducive to weight loss and important to effective weight loss programs.

Intestinal flora (gut microbiota) can determine the efficiency of calorie extraction

In my opinion, the most fascinating new research on body weight variation shows that the intestinal flora (gut microbiota) can determine the efficiency of calorie extraction from the food that we eat (5). The microbes in the colon extract energy from the indigestible food passed on from the small intestine. These microbes ferment food that we cannot digest and they keep most of the resulting energy for themselves. However, our gut microbiota do share some of the extracted energy with us but the amount varies from almost nothing to nearly 10% of our daily calories. The relative numbers of certain gut microbes influence the amount of energy delivered to the host and the subsequent weight gain liability. There is evidence which suggests that the microbial balance within the large intestine can be manipulated to cause weight loss. For this reason, probiotic composition is an attractive target for the development of weight control measures.

Cornerstones: Diet and Exercise

Keep in mind that diet and exercise are the cornerstones of any successful weight loss program. I believe that supplements, which include meal replacement  products, can offer meaningful help in weight loss efforts. Weight loss products and weight loss programs can provide benefits to the vast majority of consumers who are seeking to lose weight and fight obesity. To reach your weight loss goals and to keep the weight off, changes in diet, exercise habits, and lifestyle choices are imperative. And don’t forget determination. If you have the determination to stick with a proven weight loss program of NSP supplements together with diet, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle, you will succeed.

Created by Dr. William J. Keller