Do Natural appetite suppressants really work or is it just mindset?

rudyzenreviews

I've been reading about natural appetite suppressants like green tea, protein-rich meals, or even herbal teas. Some people claim they reduce cravings a lot, but others say it's all about discipline and buildings habits. Personally, I've noticed drinking more water before meals helps me eat less.

what are you thoughts? Do you it's science based? or just more of a mindset thing?

Lietchi

Maybethere is a allebei basis to some of these, but I think it's also very individual - whey world for one person won't necessarily work for another.

For example: keto helps some people reduce their appetite, but doesn't work for me.

Herbal teas as well as water seem like they might work simply by filling up the stomach, but for how long: AI tells me water leaves the stomach quickly when it is empty, more slowly when food is being digested, and cold drinks faster than warm drinks. But perhaps there are individual differences too.

I think It's just a matter of trying things out and seeing what works for you. I don't think appetite is a mindset thing, but mindset will determine if/when we act on that appetite.

sollyn23l2

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10946369/do-natural-appetite-suppressants-really-work-or-is-it-just-mindset

Coffee is one of the few natural foods/drinks proven to reduce appetite due to the caffeine. I used it that way for a long time. When I was hungry but couldn't eat yet, down a cup of coffee.

AnnPT77

There's reasonable scientific evidence from research about some of it, but the effects aren't always big.

Reasonably research-supported as affecting appetite or calorie consumption effects, in my understanding:

• Eating primarily foods like meat, fish, veggies, fruits, and whole grains versus eating primarily refined and highly processed foods. (I'm talking kind of 80/20, not some kind of 100% superfoods silliness.)
• Getting enough fiber (ideally varied types) and protein.

It's worth noting that people vary, so some choices/actions may be feel very beneficial for some, seem not to have much impact for others. Starting point also matters. For example, if someone's already getting plenty of protein, getting lots more may not have as much effect as it would for someone who's previously seriously under-consumed it.

There's some evidence of truly tiny benefits from some of the other things, not necessarily via appetite supression. Regularly consuming green tea possibly has some health benefits but there's little solid, conclusive evidence that it significantly reduces appetite or significantly improves weight loss. (Green tea supplements can contain too much of certain compounds, and actually be risky, BTW.) Apple cider vinegar seems to reduce the glycemic index of some foods it's combined with, but there isn't strong evidence that it promotes weight loss. Ditto for things like capsaicin (the "hot" in hot peppers) and various other things: Mixed evidence, poor-quality studies, tiny effects at most - that's what predominates.

I'd also say that placebo effect can be relevant here. The placebo effect can have literal physical effects, not just be "all in one's head" literally. Loosely, if someone believes strongly enough that doing XYZ will reduce their appetite, it will probably reduce their appetite, and sometimes the mechanism can be seen in their appetite-related hormones. That makes anecdotal evidence particularly suspect - other people saying "this worked well for me", without scientific basis, isn't a great guide.

None of any of the above negates the importance of habits. Getting any meaningful benefit out of anything involves some reasonable level of consistency, i.e., making that thing part of our habits. Some things may only have an observable personal effect after some routine repetition.

I figure that there's no reason not to try things that are very clearly safe. That's a whole separate research question in itself.

Personally, I don't do things I don't like doing, even if they seem mildly beneficial. For example, I do drink matcha (a form of green tea) routinely, because I like it and know it may have some minor nutritional benefits. If I thought it tasty yucky, I wouldn't drink it, because life is too short for that kind of nonsense. It's just not that important. I don't routinely eat chia seeds, even though they have benefits, because I think the texture is yucky.

Someone here once said that weight loss is a long series of problem-solving opportunities. I think that's right.

Personally, I look at it like a fun, productive science fair project for grown-ups. When I was starting to lose weight, I tried lots of things. If I could see them being an easy thing to adopt as a permanent habit, enjoyed them, saw some benefits and minimal/no risks, I kept doing them. Continuing that thinking eventually built a set of habits that now, in year 9+ of maintaining a healthy weight, are just how I live my life without really thinking about it much day to day, and without needing much of things like willpower, motivation, or discipline.

I think looking for "hacks" is a waste of time. The core issues are how much we eat, whether we get decent overall nutrition, how much we move in exercise and daily life. That's where to focus, not on "hacks".

Strudders67

I don't read enough (any) scientific stuff to know whether it's real or a mindset but I do know that, with trial and error, I found what kept me feeling fuller for longer and therefore stopped me snacking. In my case it's protein and fibre but, like Ann, I eat things that I like - if I don't like something, it's not going to be habit forming. I drink a lot of black tea (with semi skimmed milk), but green & herbal teas leave a sinking feeling in my stomach and coffee makes me feel queasy, so there's no point forcing myself to drink them in the hope they'll supress my appetite. I'm intrigued by Lietchi's comment about water leaving the stomach quicker unless food is being digested, but it's often said that if you think you're hungry you should have a large glass a water and wait 15-20 minutes as, more often than not, you're actually thirsty. If that glass of water also helps reduce the amount you eat, great.

elisa123gal

What a great question. I do believe that there are natural ways to suppress appetite. It does come down to individual finds and some are shared by many. But, coffee surpasses my appetite. I find some foods do also ..other foods make me more hungry. I think a food diary is a great idea to chart what works and what is leaving one unsatisfied and reaching for more food.

HoneyBadger302

IMO, and personal experiences in various life stages thus far, while there is some science behind it, reality is that "actual results may vary" - wildly.

Some people find more satiety on different macro profiles from other people. More often than not, higher protein is part of that, but not always, and not for everyone.

Same for any of the other various things.

You just have to find what works for you and your body, and what you can live with.

yakkystuff

Habits and physical appetite are different things. My comments are with respect to physical appetite.

A thought - the question paraphrased - do particular supplements impact/chemically affect and change appetite?

People also suggest that some foods can also impact appetite…

I would suggest that whatever we eat/ingest has a chemical/metabolic impact/affect on our body.

In the converse, removing/stop using particular foods/chemicals will also impact the body.

In my personal experience, too much food, particularly UPFs (ultra-processed foods) with high content of sugars, fats & salt combinations does trigger a physical, voracious appetite that increasingly becomes insatiable that can not be satisfied by eating even more (and, I would define this as a food addiction and use the term 'tolerance' with this state of raging appetite.)

On the flip side, removing the excess foods and UPFs leads to decreased appetite and return to a normal appetite state - after a few days/week(s) of agitation and physical withdrawals - as the body is no longer stimulated by the excess/UPF foods.

so, I would be inclined to believe that various foods and/or supplements may impact appetite and if tried, the person who tries them should watch to see of there is a benefit, or worse, an adverse reaction.

And, always a good idea to check with Doc to see if there are any reasons to or not to use the supplement.

Personally, there are some foods and things I can not eat/tolerate and actually can be dangerous for me, so I stay away from those things and watch for problems when I do try anything new.

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