The road to long-term weight loss may not be short, but it is safe

Better Nutrition, Jan, 1998 by Patricia Andersen-Parrado

Well, for a fleeting moment at least, America's wish for a "magic pill" to melt pounds away actually came true. Or so we thought. This magic pill was actually a combination of two individual drugs -- fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine (an appetite suppressant) and phentermine (a type of amphetamine) -- best known as "fen-phen." This combination did indeed result in dramatic weight-loss for many; however, these results have carried a heavy price. According to a study published in an August 1997 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), this drug combination can cause valvular heart disease.

The study, conducted at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., reported that 24 women with no history of cardiac disease who took fen-phen were found to have developed valvular heart disease. According to a September 1997 New York Times article, after the NEJM study was published, more reports came out showing that patients who took one or both of these drugs experienced heart valve damage.

Upon learning of these findings, Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, the manufacturer of fenfluramine and the distributor of dexfenfluramine, withdrew both drugs from the market in response to a request from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

While fenfluramine and phentermine were individually approved for use by the FDA, their combined use was never endorsed. However, once approved by the FDA, doctors are permitted to prescribe drugs as they see fit; in fact, the NEJM study reports that, in 1996, more than 18 million prescriptions were written for fenfluramine and phentermine.

Given the fact that obesity has reached such epidemic proportions in this country -- over one-third of the adult U.S. population is overweight -- it's no wonder that Americans are searching for a quick fix to get slim. However, we should know by now that there is no such thing as weight loss in a pill. There are, however, certain nutrients and herbs which can help to enhance a sensible weight-loss program -- one which combines a healthful eating plan, rich in fruits and vegetables, with a consistent aerobic exercise program.

Here, we take a look at just a few of the many ingredients featured in some of the natural weight-loss products which fill the shelves of our natural products stores.

Better Nutrition was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to speak with three experts who shared their thoughts on some of these ingredients. They are: Chris Kilham, an educator, industry consultant, and author of 10 books, including the 1996 book Kava, Medicine Hunting in Paradise; and co-authors of the 1997 book Feeling Light: The Holistic Solution to Permanent Weight Loss and Wellness: holistic health consultant Wendy Shankin-Cohen, MFA, director of Holistic Health Consultants in Red Bank, N.J., and acupuncturist, Chinese herbalist, and Tai Chi master Shoshanna Katzman, C.A., M.A., director of the Red Bank Acupuncture and Wellness Center (also in Red Bank, N.J.).

* St. John's wort and kava: Weight loss is not typically what comes to mind when we think of these two herbs; surprisingly, though, they are being included in a number of weight-loss formulas as of late. Why, you may ask, would an herb known for reducing depression -- St. John's wort -- and an herb known for easing anxiety -- kava -- be included in such formulas? Kilham explains, "Let's start with St. John's wort. In a weight-loss product, it is not that St. John's wort is any sort of a metabolic agent that actually helps to shed pounds, but it certainly reduces the tendency toward depression. Since depression is a primary motivating force in eating poorly, eating in excess, and eating the wrong things, it can be a helpful agent. In the case of kava, you have people who eat, again, as a self-defense mechanism in response to stress. Stress-induced anxiety is one of the most difficult and vexing problems that people face in our culture, especially with the fast pace of life and very, very packed schedules. So the idea is that if people can calm down a little bit, relax a little bit, they may -- and I would have to say, the jury is still out on this -- have a tendency to be a little bit less reflexive in terms of reaching for a soda, a candy bar, a donut, a cookie, or something to satisfy them. In and of themselves, I wouldn't expect St. John's wort and kava to be significant in terms of helping people lose weight, although they might be in some cases. But, as complementary agents in diet formulas that also contain proven weight-reducing ingredients, I think they have a real role to play."

* Chromium: Shankin-cohen says that while this mineral is important to health, it should not be touted as a "fat burner." She explains, "The reason it is called a fat burner by some is that it does help to reduce cravings, particularly sugar cravings. This is because when you lack this particular mineral, it causes your blood sugar to have much sharper ups and downs; in other words, the insulin that your pancreas is producing is affected greatly by the amount of chromium in the bloodstream. When you take the proper amount of chromium, it helps to regulate insulin production, normalize the pancreas, and reduce sugar cravings." She adds that most people are deficient in chromium. In truth, trivalent chromium is involved in food metabolism, enzyme activation, and regulation of cholesterol.