Getting the concept of weight loss through the LA HCG diet plan is not an easy one but really needs a good concentration and the power for controlling theproblems being faced due to obesity. The over coming facts are being introduced through the HCG diet or weight loss plans. Therefore we hardly need to be determined while we are working on the weightreducing options and plans. Moreover if we are seeking such products it is very necessary to seek them in an efficient manner as much as possible. Getting into the problem of over weight is just simply to beinvolved in the vein of diseases. Obesity is not so much harmful but the diseases caused by obesity or over weight are dangerous. Obesity is a cause of various complicated disease. Some of thesecomplicated diseases are high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, heart attack and even cancer. People who are obese or over weight are on great risk of these complicated diseases.

If you do not want to become a victim for these diseases then you just need to follow up the hard and tough dietary charts designed by the LA Weight lossplan. First thing that is the most important thing is a person needs to take a consultation charge from the doctor before he starts taking the drugs under HCG diet. Never forget to ask about the dosages that youwill take for it. And the second most important thing is to maintain the eating habits in your diet. Every physician recommends for a particular calorie diet that is needed to be followed. One must be veryconscious about these things. Always try to take the low calorie diets if you need to need to reduce your weight because it will assist you in maintaining the desirable body shape and figures.So if you have decided up to choose some plan for reducing your weight than HCG dietary plan is the good and best option amongst you. HCG Los Angelesdiet carries the minimum amount of calories in the diet chart that lacks fatty molecules in the diet. LA HCG diet always suggests you to take the low calorie diets because it will assist you in maintaining thedesirable body shape. Now people are becoming more important about their health which is a very good thing.

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Eat that yogurt, lose that weight? Not so fast…
For years the dairy industry touted studies presumably showing that the more dairy you eat, the more weight you lose. Did these ads and the “research” they quote tell the whole story? In a word, no. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection saw to it that the ad campaign went the way of the dodo bird, at least “until further researcher provides stronger, more conclusive evidence of an assosiation between dairy consumption and weight loss.”

But despite the fact that the ads were pulled off the air, the idea that milk promotes weight loss remains in our minds. So let’s take a look at the research that formed the basis for the claims. Most of it was done by one researcher, Michael Zemel, Ph.D., professor of nutrition and medicine at University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and sponsored by the dairy industry. Although the headlines frequently proclaimed a link between dairy and weight loss in the studies, the fine print told a different story. One study, for example, found that those eating three servings of milk, cheese or yogurt did indeed lose a bit more weight, but what was lost in translation was the fact that those who lost weight were low in calcium to begin with (and therefor likely to benefit from added calcium) and were eating a reduced-calorie diet (500 calories a day less than usual).

Another often repeated news story announced, “Calcium and Vitamin D Linked to Weight.” But the details revealed that although postmenopausal women who take calcium and vitamin D supplements may gain slightly less weight that women who don’t, the effect was – get ready- .28 (that’s decimal point 28) pounds less over the course of seven years. Do the math: that’s anout 1/25 of a pound – slightly more than half an ounce – of weight annually.

What is true, points out Walter C. Willet, M.D., Dr.P.H., chairman of the department of nutrition at Boston’s Harvard School of Public Health, is that a diet high in dairy and calcium has been implicated as a risk factor for prostate cancer. Milk has also been linked to acne, and there is a possible connection to ovarian cancer.

Bottom line: By all means, get your calcium, from a variety of sources including sardines, green leafy vegetables and seeds. Just don’t think for a minute that drinking or eating dairy products is going to help you lose weight.

Of Milk and Men
The Prestigious American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study confirming milk’s ineffectiveness as a weight-loss food. According to lead author Swapnil Rajpathak, M.D., Dr.PH., “Men who increased their dairy/calcium intake did not lose more weight. In fact, they gained slightly more weight in the 12-year period.” Still, we do need calcium-particularly in combination with other, often neglected bone-building nutrients such as magnesium, vitamin D, boron and vitamin K. Fifteen minutes of sunlight a day on bare skin should help keep vitamin D levels up. Boron is found in almonds, avocados, and peanut butter; magnesium is in dark leafy greens, legumes, tofu, peanuts and unpeeled potatoes. Vitamin K is in Spinach, lettuce, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage.

Almost 15 years ago, Congress enacted the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. Billed as “truth in labeling,” the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says, “Congress’s  intent in enacting it was to help ensure that safe and appropriatley labeled products remain available to those who want to use them.” Something went haywire in the aftermath of it’s passage. There was a proliferation of products claiming virtuous-sounding attributes, such as “organic” and “natural.”

“These days, ‘organic’ and ‘all natural’ can apply to many different things,” says Roberta Anding, R.D., national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and an instructor at the Baylor College of Medicine. “Remember, tobacco is ‘natural’, cocaine is ‘natural’, but they’re not safe for consumers.”

So what can you do to make sure the products you take are doing good, not harm? The FDA offers the following advise:

• Dietary supplements are not intended to replace the variety of foods that are part of a healthy diet. You need to be thinking about your overall diet first.
• Find out the recommended safe dosages of supplements by visiting the Institute of Medicine Website at iom.edu and searching for “recommended dietary allowances.”
• Check with your doctor or health-care provider before using a supplement, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing a baby or have a chronic medical condition such as diabetes. Be aware that some supplements may interact with prescription and over the counter medicines.

“Pharmacists have PDR’s (Physicians Desk Reference) at their fingertips, and they can look up any supplement for you” advises Anding. “And at the health-food store, look for printouts on vitamins you are going to take. Show them to your doctor, dietitian and pharmacist to discuss any potential problems.”

When seeking information on the internet about supplements, the FDA suggests that you ask yourself:

• Who operates the site?
• What is the purpose of the site?
• What is the source of the information?
• Are there any references for the source?
• Is the information current?

Roberta Anding adds” remember, some of the information you get from the internet is fabulous, but some of the stuff is garbage.

Ginkgo, No-Go!
Falsely believing it’s a brain booster, we spend $145 million a year on this herb.

ASSUMING?

A little skepticism can be a very good thing when it comes to protecting your health. So check out these questionable assumptions.

“Even if a product doesn’t help, it at least won’t hurt me.” False. All chemicals can be toxic, including nutrients, plant components and other biologically active ingredients, particularly when taken in sufficient quantity or combined with other substances.

“A product is safe when there is no cautionary information on the product label.” Nope. Dietary supplement manufacturers may not provide warnings about potential adverse effects.

“A recall of a harmful product guarantees the product will be immediately and completely removed from shelves.” Alas, not true. A product recall of a dietary supplemement is voluntary, so some harmful products may remain on the shelves.

Most of all, know that if something sounds too good to be true, it is.

The results of a 2005 survey published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association indicated that as the use of nonvitamin, non-mineral supplements (such as herbal and botanical dietary supplements) had increased during the previous 10 years, so had the concomitant use of dietary supplements and over-the-counter and/or prescription drugs. Many of the people who participated in the survey were taking multivitamin pills and were surprised to learn that their multivitamins contained non-vitamin, non-mineral dietary (that is, herbal and other) supplements as well.

Interactions with Drugs

Few studies have specifically examined interactions between drugs and dietary supplements in the general population, and existing reports have found only mild interactions. These articles comprised mainly case reports, estimations based on laboratory experiments (not in humans), and speculation based on pharmacology studies and theoretical risks. Lack of data, however, does not imply lack of danger.

Dietary supplements may alter the activity of conventional drugs. Such interactions may occur in individuals who are particularly sensitive or immunocompromised or for drugs that have a narrow therapeutic window. In addition, response to drug and dietary supplement consumption may change with age and health status. Interactions between drugs and dietary supplements are especially likely in geriatric patients because they use more drugs and often combine prescription and over-the-counter drugs with herbal remedies. People with a chronic illness, specifically those with hepatic or renal impairment, are at higher risk of harmful interactions between drugs and dietary supplements.

Drug concentration or activity in the blood may be increased if a dietary supplement aids the absorption of the drug or if it inhibits enzyme destruction or elimination of the drug. Conversely, drug concentration and/or activity in the blood may be decreased if the dietary supplement binds components of the drug, thus preventing its absorption, or if the dietary supplement stimulates production and/or activity of enzymes that destroy the drug.

Some of the most popular dietary supplements may interact with drugs. A 2004 study at the University of Chicago Medical Center, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research, found that ginseng, which is commonly taken to enhance well-being, reduce fatigue, and improve immune response, decreased the effect of the anticoagulant warfarin. People who consumed warfarin and ginseng had an increased incidence of blood clots and therefore an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis. Because of ethical reasons, this study was done in healthy individuals, but the researchers believed that the results could be applied to those taking warfarin for prevention of deep vein thrombosis.

St. John’s wort, which people commonly take for mild to moderate depression, may alter the effectiveness of drugs prescribed for HIV, heart disease, depression, epileptic seizures, and cancer and may interfere with oral contraceptives. Dietary supplements containing garlic have the potential to increase the risk of bleeding if combined with other drugs that increase bleeding risk, such as aspirin and warfarin.

Dietary Supplements and Potential Interactions

Interactions with Other Dietary Supplements

Although the potential for a dietary supplement to interact with others exists, currently there is not enough evidence to identify those risks. This should not be interpreted as there being no risk, however, only that none has been identified.

Whether dietary supplement information is balanced, objective, and free of commercial influence can help determine if its motive is educational or promotional. Magazines and newspapers often contain full-page articles that seem to come from medical or scientific establishments;upon closer examination, however, the word “advertisement” can often be found in small print at the top of the page, indicating that the information is indeed intended to sell something. Information contained in obvious advertisements can be misleading. Television commercials and lengthier infomercials are crafted so they appear to be backed by medical organizations. While these advertisements have the look and feel of a medical establishment, they are misleading and designed to sell a product to a vulnerable population.

Consider this common scenario: An attractive man or woman wearing a lab coat approaches the camera while speaking words of empathy to overweight viewers. “It’s not your fault. You struggle with extra weight because of a malfunction in your body. Dietary Supplement X can reverse the effects of this malfunction and help you lose the extra pounds. Clinical trials have shown that people who take Dietary Supplement X lose weight faster and easier than those who do not take it.” Inevitably, this monologue culminates in the opportunity to purchase Dietary Supplement X.

The format of information on dietary supplements can also provide cues as to its validity. Books, magazine and newspaper articles, and live newscasts deliver information in various levels of scope and depth. While a book might explore dietary supplements in great detail, a 60-second piece on the evening news might only offer tidbits that are sensational, very recent, or particularly interesting, without exploring the whole story. Shorter pieces, such as newspaper or magazine articles, may highlight the newest development regarding a dietary supplement but may not place this new information in context. Due to extended production and publication schedules, however, sources that do discuss dietary supplements in greater depth—such as books and encyclopedias—may not include the very latest information.

Dietary supplements are natural substances that may contain variable amounts of active and inactive ingredients. These amounts depend on several factors, including the age and specific part of the plant, the composition of the soil in which it was grown, the time of year it was harvested, and how the substance was processed and stored. While manufacturers must label their products with the contents, the recommended daily dose, and how much of the active ingredient each dose contains, dietary supplement composition can vary widely. From bottle to bottle, batch to batch, year to year, and company to company, consumers may not be aware of exactly what they are consuming.

Types of Adverse Events

In a 2003 study published in Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers analyzed 880 herbal dietary supplements collected from a variety of sources, including grocery stores, retail pharmacies, discount stores, and health food stores. They compared the dietary supplement ingredients and the recommended daily doses stated on the label with their own laboratory analyses. Of the products sampled, 43 percent were consistent with a standardized pharmacy reference for ingredients and recommended daily doses, 20 percent were consistent regarding ingredients only, and 37 percent were either inconsistent or did not contain enough information on the label to determine consistency. The authors suggested that much of this inconsistency could be attributed to insufficient research on the part of the manufacturer and inadequate understanding of how to ensure consistency in a natural resource.

A study presented at the Sixth International Cartilage Repair Society Symposium in 2006 analyzed ten commercially available dietary supplements containing chondroitin sulfate, which is commonly used to improve joint pain associated with osteoarthritis. Researchers evaluated the ability of the raw materials to inhibit gene expression of three substances involved in cartilage breakdown. These results were compared with a reference standard, which was the chondroitin sulfate supplement used in a previous study, the largest federally funded trial evaluating the supplement’s clinical effects. Only one of the ten supplements inhibited gene expression in a manner equivalent to the reference standard. Two of the supplements had no detectable effect, and the remainder had inconsistent effects on gene expression.

Contamination

Dietary supplements may contain harmful or undesirable substances such as pesticides or heavy metals. Contaminants may be present before a substance is harvested for use as a dietary supplement or may be introduced during processing and packaging.

For example, coral calcium, a dietary supplement said to contain remnants of living coral reefs, may contain significant and harmful amounts of lead and other heavy metals. Consumption of excessive levels of lead can cause neurological problems, increased blood pressure, reproductive impairment, and hearing and sight problems. Scientists are also concerned that people who are allergic to shellfish may experience serious adverse events such as hives, swelling, and breathing problems, because of the presence of these allergens in coral reefs.

In 2003 the Sports Nutrition Working Group of the International Olympic Committee Medical Commission reported that approximately one in five dietary supplements commonly used by athletes were contaminated. Protein powders; amino acid supplements; creatine; pyruvate; and several vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements were found to contain steroid-like chemicals that were not identified on product labels, caused positive doping tests, and were not known to be safe.

Dietary supplements may also contain controlled substances. Acetaminophen, aspirin, antihistamines, and corticosteroids have been found in dietary supplements that did not list them as ingredients. In 2005 the FDA issued a warning about a dietary supplement that contains the antidiabetic agent glyburide after it caused hypoglycemia (dangerously low blood sugar) in several consumers. In 2006 the FDA warned consumers against using several weight-loss dietary supplements that contain chlordiazepoxide HCl (the active ingredient in the drug Librium) and fluoxetine HCl (the active ingredient in the antidepressant Prozac).

What Is Good Science?

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality ranked scientific studies by the value of their results. Below they are ranked from most powerful to least powerful:

• prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trial with crossover;
• prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial;
• single-blind clinical trial;
• open-label clinical trial;
• retrospective epidemiological study;
• other types of consumer or patient-based, interview-type studies (including meta-analyses).

Randomized, controlled trials are considered the gold standard of scientific research. Such trials include a control group, people who are observed but receive no treatment of any kind, and an intervention group, people who receive a certain treatment, such as a dietary supplement. Members of the control and intervention groups are similar (matched) in age, sex, ethnicity, marital status, socioeconomic status, health status, and diet and are randomly assigned to the respective groups. The power of such a trial is that it controls for any variation between the two groups, so that the only relevant difference is that the intervention group receives the specific treatment. Thus, any difference in the outcomes between the control and intervention groups is likely attributable to the intervention.

To determine whether the results of a study are due to the intervention or to chance, scientists conduct statistical analyses. A P value (probability value) of 0.05 is generally used to indicate statistical significance. P values greater than 0.05 indicate that the likelihood the results were a product of chance is greater than 5 percent. Conversely, the smaller the P value, the more significant the results. Thus, a P value lower than 0.001 indicates that it is very unlikely the results were due to chance; that is, the intervention had a highly significant effect on the treatment group.

In case-control studies, cases who have a particular outcome (for example, a disease) are identified and their past exposure to various components (such as a dietary supplement) is compared with that of control subjects, who do not have the particular outcome. By matching case and control subjects for sex, age, and other variables, there is less chance that the results are due to anything but the difference in exposure.

Cross-sectional studies measure the prevalence of a health outcome (for example, a disease) or determinants of health (such as ethnicity) in a population at any one time. For example, a cross-sectional study could measure the relationship between osteoporosis and calcium intake. This type of study is vulnerable to confounding, however, as a result of selection bias, which distorts statistical analysis by including a sample that is not representative of the population of interest. In addition, cross-sectional studies are not good for determining cause and effect.

Cohort studies are long-term studies that compare subjects who have a particular outcome (for example, a disease) and/or who receive a particular intervention (such as a dietary supplement) with those who do not have that outcome or exposure. Cohort studies tend to be less reliable than randomized, controlled trials because there is less control over the differences between the two groups. For more accurate results, cohort studies may have to last for several years, which allows for additional differences between the groups to enter into the study and confound the results.

The validity of a scientific study should determine whether it is published in a prestigious scientific journal, such as the Journal of the American Medical Association and the New England Journal of Medicine. Most scientific journals require that published material is reviewed by peers, other experts who can evaluate the strength of the evidence and identify shortcomings of studies. Published studies can be retrieved online at PubMed.

Many dietary supplement manufacturers promote their products through testimonials and anecdotes from satisfied customers. While persuasive, testimonials cannot replace scientific evidence and are often fabricated, paid for, or provided by people who are emotionally bound to a product. Testimonials should never be substituted for rigorous scientific data.

Who Are the Experts?

Consumers get information about dietary supplements from many sources, including friends, family members, and healthcare professionals. This information is often a mixture of scientific data, hearsay, and anecdote. Given the complexity of dietary supplements, however, only people with in-depth knowledge of science, medicine, and nutrition should be considered experts.

Registered dietitians, pharmacists, physicians, nurses, and physician assistants tend to be the most informed about the scientific evidence on dietary supplements. Registered dietitians are certified by the American Dietetic Association, and during the last several years, dietary supplements have become a major focus of their training and practice. In addition to answering specific questions about dietary supplements, a registered dietitian can determine individual nutrient needs based on age, sex, life stage (for instance, premenopausal versus postmenopausal women), and medical history. By analyzing the diet (including intake of fortified foods and dietary supplements), a registered dietitian can determine whether a person is consuming the recommended levels of nutrients or if any nutrients are lacking or being consumed in excess. Based on these results, a dietitian can recommend improvements to the diet and/or if dietary supplementation should be considered.

Pharmacists are trained to understand drug formulation and interactions. In addition to answering specific questions about dietary supplements, they can recognize potential interactions between dietary supplements and drugs. Pharmacists can also help identify those dietary supplements verified by the USP, ConsumerLab.com, or the NPA, as well as the recommended doses.

Physicians (MDs, DOs), nurses (RNs, NPs), and physician assistants are gradually becoming cognizant of the widespread use of dietary supplements. As a companion to the Physician’s Desk Reference, an immense and detailed catalogue of drug and prescribing information that can be found in virtually any doctor’s office or library, a new Physicians Desk Reference for Nonprescription Drugs, Dietary Supplements, and Herbs has been created. Physicians, nurses, and physician assistants can be useful resources regarding dietary supplements, including whether there is adequate evidence to support a benefit, no effect, or potential for harm.

People considering taking dietary supplements can benefit from consulting a knowledgeable expert. This is especially true for women who are breastfeeding or pregnant (or who may become pregnant); older individuals; people of smaller stature; people with chronic medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or hypertension; and people with upcoming surgery. In addition, a pediatrician should be consulted when considering giving a dietary supplement to a child.

Health Status

Dietary supplements may act differently in different people. As noted by Christine Lewis-Taylor, former director of the FDA’s Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements, “one man’s dose can be another man’s poison.” An individual’s genes and health status help to
explain this difference.

Nutritional genomics and metabalomics are growing areas of research that explain the relationship between genetic makeup and nutrition- and metabolism-related outcomes. Certain relationships between nutrients and health outcomes are well characterized. Folate supplementation, for example, is recommended for all women of childbearing age to prevent fetal neural tube defects. By isolating and analyzing the function of the genes responsible for folate metabolism, however, scientists have identified a genetic variation that predisposes some women to give birth to babies with neural tube defects. This knowledge may eventually allow scientists to target folate supplementation to at-risk individuals. Stage of life, medical history, and environmental factors such as diet and exercise can affect how a dietary supplement behaves in the body. Several populations are at increased risk of adverse effects of dietary supplements:

• children,
• people of smaller stature,
• elderly people,
• women who are pregnant or breastfeeding,
• people with immune disorders (for example, HIV or AIDS),
• people with cancer,
• malnourished people,
• people with existing or subclinical liver or kidney disease,
• people with a history of gastrointestinal health conditions (such as Crohn’s disease) or surgery (such as gastric bypass surgery),
• people who are hospitalized,
• transplant recipients,
• surgical patients.

While research has revealed the unique nutritional needs in women of childbearing age (for example, 400 micrograms of folate are recommended to prevent neural tube defects in offspring, and if pregnant, supplemental vitamins are recommended), information on the effects of dietary supplements during pregnancy and breastfeeding are extremely limited. This is largely due to ethical considerations: scientific studies are not conducted during pregnancy and breastfeeding because of potential risks to the women and their babies. Several herbal dietary supplements historically used during pregnancy have been identified as harmful.

Certain dietary supplements may cause adverse effects during surgery, including increased or decreased bleeding. Medical or surgical professionals should be consulted several weeks before any scheduled surgery to determine whether dietary supplements should be discontinued.

Perhaps the most common adverse effects of dietary supplements are gastrointestinal, including constipation, diarrhea, or nausea. Gastrointestinal adverse effects are often present when a dietary supplement is first added to the diet. Over time, these symptoms may decrease or may cause an individual to discontinue use.

Potential Adverse Events Associated with Some Herbal Dietary Supplements during Pregnancy

Dietary Supplements That May Alter Bleeding

Many dietary supplements are metabolized by the liver and/or kidneys and may therefore cause adverse effects in people with overt or subclinical liver or kidney disease. Adverse effects could include worsening of disease complications or presentation of a previously undiagnosed disease. Other dietary supplements may cause adverse effects in other parts of the body; for example, calendula may cause eye irritation, Ginkgo biloba can cause skin to become dry, and St. John’s wort may increase sensitivity to the sun.