After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned ephedra in 2004, thousands of manufacturers of diet and weight-loss drugs turned their attention to finding natural and synthetic alternatives that would mimic its effects. Many of the ingredients in these fat burners also pose a number of health risks, but some of them may still be safer than ephedra. Understanding how ephedra works in the body can help you determine if alternative supplements are right for you. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re experiencing symptoms of acid reflux, regularly have chest pains even though your heart checks out fine, or you find it difficult to breathe after eating, you may have a form of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Read the rest of this entry »

Muscle-building supplements infused with nitric oxide (NO) and creatine give bodybuilders and other athletes an opportunity to build strength, improve performance, and even enhance mental focus. High-intensity training and endurance workouts require appropriate supplementation, but many supplements do have significant side effects. Because NO helps dilate blood vessels and increase circulation, some users may experience an elevated heart rate, increased blood pressure, or trouble sleeping. Read the rest of this entry »

Staving off hunger for extended periods of time might seem like a good way to lose weight, but how effective is it? Hoodia has quickly become a fixture on the ingredient panel of many dietary supplements and weight-loss aids, promising to help you lose pounds by keeping your appetite and hunger at bay. Along with a healthy diet and exercise program, hoodia may work as a dietary supplement to help you cut back on calories without resorting to metabolism enhancers or other fat burners. But is hoodia just hype, or does it offer some real long-term benefits? Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re like many people, you think herbs are somehow “safer” than many non-herbal products. Guess what? They’re not. Herbs were used as medicine for thousands of years before there were physicians, with good reason. And though modern medicines are made in laboratories instead of mixed by herbalists, as many as 25 percent of prescription drugs contain substances distilled or otherwise obtained from the plant kingdom. Read the rest of this entry »

Energy drinks and liquid enhancers can help you reach your peak performance during your workout, and many bodybuilders and other athletes make them a regular part of their routines. Energy drinks often include a variety of natural and herbal extracts that can increase circulation, improve blood flow, and can even carry aminfo acids to muscles for recovery. Finding the right set of ingredients to support your health goals is important, but not all supplements are valuable to everyone. Determining which energy drink fits with your goals and lifestyle is important, and taking note of key ingredients will help you see which supplements are best for your body. Read the rest of this entry »

Leading weight-loss supplements and thermogenics contain a variety of herbs and compounds, promising to increase metabolism, provide a boost of energy, and burn off excess fat. An ingredient in many of these supplements, Garcinia cambogia is touted as an all-natural aid to weight loss. But how healthy is it, and are there any harmful side effects?

What It Is

A small fruit, Garcinia cambogia contains the active ingredient hydroxycitric acid (HCA), considered a natural appetite suppressant. The fruit’s extract has long been used in Indian folk communities to enhance the immune system and treat a variety of conditions. Read the rest of this entry »

Losing weight and boosting the metabolism with thermogenic supplements is an attractive option for many bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts who want a faster way to slim down. However, thermogenics and fat burners have long contained harmful ingredients such as ephedra, excessive amounts of caffeine, and herbs that can raise heart rate and blood pressure. While these are common side effects of weight-loss supplements, choosing a caffeine-free formula may be a healthier option. 

Why Eliminate Caffeine?

Caffeine is a powerful substance, and can become very addictive with extended use. Even though some forms of caffeine may be considered healthy—green tea, for example—the compound is still a central nervous stimulant that can elevate the heart rate, increase energy, boost blood circulation, and increase alertness. Read the rest of this entry »

The maxim “Eat for growth” is familiar to competitive bodybuilders. But what about “Cycle for growth”?

No, we aren’t talking about the Tour de France pedal-pushing crowd. In bodybuilding, cycling refers to the practice of using one or more nutritional supplements for a specified period, discontinuing them, and starting another set. Cycling is assumed to have three purposes: to optimize results in a given training phase; to prevent harmful side effects by giving the body a rest; and to overcome the body’s tolerance for the supplements. Typical supplementation cycles run between four and 12 weeks. There are hundreds of supplements available, and the choices can be dizzying. 

Supplements Can Complement Training Cycles

Whether you’re a competitive bodybuilder or you just want to have a great physique, your goal is to gain lean body mass. How much mass you can expect to gain is largely determined by training and genetics. Read the rest of this entry »

After ephedra was banned under a controversial decision by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2004, manufacturers of weight-loss aids scrambled to find effective ephedra-free weight-control formulas. One of the more successful post-ephedra products is Lipo-6, offered by Nutrex Research.

What It Is

Lipo-6 is a thermogenic product that’s geared toward bodybuilders and others interested in maintaining peak fitness while also losing pounds. Nutrex says its product works in a unique way through a combination of fat-burning, health-promoting, energy-producing compounds.

Lipo-6 is also said to target specific trouble areas—abdominal, buttock, and thigh areas for women, and the lower back and love handles for men. Read the rest of this entry »