All of us dream about having a perfectly shaped body, irrespective of where we locate or in which culture we belong to. This inherent desire leads the weight loss supplements to take a graceful entry to the consumer market. These products generally include pills or herbs or any other medicinal alternatives that claim to help individuals loosing their weight. Some of these products even declare that the users of their product may get the result even within fortnight. However, there are lots of debates associated with this type of declaration. This article will discuss about different issues related with weight loss supplements and their role in the weight loss process.

Types of supplements

There are different types of fat burner weight loss supplements available in the market that claim to make you thinner within a specified time span. Here is a brief overview of few popularly used weight loss supplements.

Chitosan: This is derived from lobster's shell, as well as from shrimp and other shellfish. It is actually an indigestible fiber. The mechanism it follows is fat-binding followed by absorption. However, there are no enough studies conducted to support the claim. Rather different researchers concluded that there are few side effects associated with the intake of chitosan such as constipation, gas and allergies.

Chromium: In most of the cases, it is available in chromium picolinate format. Its function includes boosting of lean mass as well as reducing body fat. A large number of studies confirmed about the safety of the usage of this substance, however, there are lots of debates associated about its consideration of one of the useful weight loss supplements.

Citrus Aurantium (Bitter Orange): This is a herbal extract and is considered as a substitute for ephedra. However, there is no concrete study supporting its claim as a weight loss supplement.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA): It is found in organic dairy products and beef. Its use as weight loss supplement is acclaimed by different studies; however, none of them assure safe usage for long run. It also helps in increasing lean body mass.

Guarana: It functions as an appetite suppressant. Overdoes or prolonged usage causes insomnia, anxiety and restlessness.

Plantago Psyllium: It is a water soluble fiber. It is found in Plantago ovato seeds. If you take it prior to your meal, it will give you a sense of fulfillment, hence results you eating less. It has been identified causing constipation problem. However, there is no sufficient proof in the support of its use as a weight loss supplement.

Safety Issues

Being obese is such an issue that is directly linked to social stigma. In our society, being obese is generally not appreciated and self-image matters quite a lot in social interaction. The individuals suffering from obesity problem lack self-esteem and self-confidence. Weight loss supplement claim that they can reduce weight of an individual. These types of weight loss supplements are really popular among the masses, especially among those individuals who care to have a magical impact in their life. But, not in all the cases, these types of products are safe to use, particularly it may result significant negative impact in long term and may cause harm to body quite a great extent.

There are a wide range of products that are actually found to be ineffective and also their side-effects are really critical in long term usage. So, it is always advisable that you should consult your doctor prior taking such types of weight loss supplements. In case of herbal supplements, there are insufficient and conflicting studies and reviews available in the market. These products are widely known as fat burners that work on melting calories and boosting body's metabolism. In most of the cases, these types of weight loss supplements are strongly discouraged by medical practitioners and research workers for insufficient labeling of ingredients and radical increase in blood pressure and cardiac problems. Moreover, in the long run, prolonged using of these weight loss supplements may cause different psycho-physiological complications.