Supplements?

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kglar
kglar Posts: 7
in Food and Nutrition
Sorry if this has been posted other places but I was wondering about supplements that help with weight loss. My mom told me to use safflower oil because Dr. Oz recommended it. So I looked it up and there are videos where Dr. Oz does seem to recommend it but there are also articles where he says that we can't really say that it works and you shouldn't necessarily be taking it. There are just so many conflicting ideas out there. Does anyone know of any supplements that actually work or that you've had success with? Any I should stay away from? Thanks in advance.
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Replies

  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
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    ...Any I should stay away from?
    Anything recommended by Dr. Oz. He's a snake oil salesman who promotes whatever he's paid to promote. He seems to have a new "magic pill" every week. Have a look through the "Success Stories" forum here and see how many you can find who attribute their weight loss/body transformation success to raspberry ketones, safflower oil, green coffee bean extract or any other "magic" so-called "supplement".

    Barring certain medical conditions which hamper weight loss, the "magic formula" is to eat at a reasonable caloric deficit and move your body (and the second part is targeted more toward good health and body composition than actual weight loss). As with many things in life, there's no shortcut to success.
  • KatLifter
    KatLifter Posts: 1,314 Member
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    Also, make sure to take a multivitamin and calcium (especially for women). When we cut calories we can also cut nutrients. I also take Omega-3 fish oil. Healthy and strong is the best look :)
  • tyrantduck
    tyrantduck Posts: 387 Member
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    ugh. don't ever take anything promoted by that quack.

    if you want something to help with an appetite, I've been taking two green tea extract capsules per day and they hold off my hunger for longer periods of time between meals so i'm less likely to snack. you can find them at any pharmacy, over the counter. they're about $13 per bottle but should last a month if you take two capsules a day as it recommends.

    or, just start drinking green tea. it's got a lot of good antioxidants and vitamins in it and again, works as a natural appetite suppressant.
  • wackyfunster
    wackyfunster Posts: 944 Member
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    At a minimum you should take:
    Multi-vitamin
    Fish oil (shoot for 1.2g/day DHA and 1.8g EPA, which will be somewhere between 3-10 capsules, depending on potency)
    Vitamin D+Calcium (2000IU vit. d., 1.2g calcium between sups and food)

    Also consider:
    Magnesium (you should get 500mg/day between sups and food)

    There are no magic supplements that make you lose fat (some caveats for those at very low body fat percentages), but those will put you at a reasonable baseline of health that will make it easier to get in shape.

    If it were possible to just take a pill and burn fat, no one would be fat.
  • envy09
    envy09 Posts: 353 Member
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    ugh. don't ever take anything promoted by that quack.

    if you want something to help with an appetite, I've been taking two green tea extract capsules per day and they hold off my hunger for longer periods of time between meals so i'm less likely to snack. you can find them at any pharmacy, over the counter. they're about $13 per bottle but should last a month if you take two capsules a day as it recommends.

    or, just start drinking green tea. it's got a lot of good antioxidants and vitamins in it and again, works as a natural appetite suppressant.

    Agreed. Green Tea does actually suppress appetite. Caffeine can also increase your metabolism slightly. Also agree with Kat's suggestion of a calcium supplement. That's especially important for women.
  • Cindy393
    Cindy393 Posts: 268 Member
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    Every day I take Vit D, calcium, magnesium, and JoeBee's-which is 100% natural bee pollen. Gives me energy, my hair and skin look awesome, and has all the vitamins and minerals you need.
  • PibblesRun
    PibblesRun Posts: 236 Member
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    I take resveratrol. You can get them at walmart. They work good for me...energy wise and on days where I do have a massive appetite and eat too much...it seems to help me not gain any weight from it...like over thanksgiving I ate horrible 3 days in a row, way over my cals...but didnt gain an ounce. Didnt lose, but didnt gain! They do seem to help with my appetite in general...just not my cravings for junk food when im not even hungry!
  • PibblesRun
    PibblesRun Posts: 236 Member
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    oh yeah, and i take the normal multi vitamin, vita d and omega 3 supplements
  • glahlstedt
    glahlstedt Posts: 308 Member
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    i tried a bunch of supplements that dr. oz recommended, but none of them worked. that is just my opinion. i take a multi-vitamin everyday, and that is it!
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
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    Water is actually better than any I have heard of. Oh, and exercise.

    Whatever you do in the journey, make sure that it is something which you can sustain for a lifetime.

    When it come to supplements, there should be little or no need for them if you eat healthy meals. If your blood work is looking good, forget them and save some cash.
  • HSingMomto7Kids
    HSingMomto7Kids Posts: 345 Member
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    Yeah vitamins are fine like a multi-vitamin, fish oil, vitamin d-3 etc but for weight lose I don't believe in it at all. That is what exercise and counting calories is for.
  • dukslayer4051
    dukslayer4051 Posts: 66 Member
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    the best thing for weight loss is this, dont tell anyone cuz its a secret.

    its water, just water and nutrition. thats it. supliments are mostly hype and money spent that dont do a damn thing. if your trying to lose weight, water and caloric deficit is the key. add some activity and watch it melt! get some whey protein if you feel like you dont get enough protein, you should get about 40-40-20 split for trying to lose weight and about a gal of water a day. you dont need a huge cut in cals either. cut them too low and your body does weird hormonal changes that will keep that fat tight and you wont lose a thing. try to cut by 500 cals a week. weather it from introducing exercise or from eating less. its not hard...u got this
  • tacticalhippie
    tacticalhippie Posts: 596 Member
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    I take a multi, and fish oil daily.
    I also take arginine, lysine, vit c and vit b6 (and i think the arginine has ornathine in it)
    I've started taking local honey mixed with cinnamon as well.
    I also take extra vitamin c and d daily.

    I was taking CLA for a while.
    Like 6 grams a day.
    I dropped inches a lot at first, but now it's leveled out.
    Waiting to start in Jan or Feb again.

    Working at GNC, I get to try a lot of stuff.

    ETA: I take it for general health, not strictly weigh loss.
    I know I lack a LOT of nutrients from my diet.
  • SheilaG1963
    SheilaG1963 Posts: 298 Member
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    I tried Lipozene. Didn't work.

    Tried other appetite suppressants. DIdn't work.

    The only thing I have found that seems to help is Reservatrol. I quit taking it and could tell the difference. It also supports healthy blood. You can get it naturally in grapes, but I take the capsules.
  • laurenmgrasso
    laurenmgrasso Posts: 41
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    ...Any I should stay away from?
    Anything recommended by Dr. Oz. He's a snake oil salesman who promotes whatever he's paid to promote. He seems to have a new "magic pill" every week. Have a look through the "Success Stories" forum here and see how many you can find who attribute their weight loss/body transformation success to raspberry ketones, safflower oil, green coffee bean extract or any other "magic" so-called "supplement".

    Barring certain medical conditions which hamper weight loss, the "magic formula" is to eat at a reasonable caloric deficit and move your body (and the second part is targeted more toward good health and body composition than actual weight loss). As with many things in life, there's no shortcut to success.

    I agree completely with you! He will say whatever he is paid to promote!
  • NeverGivesUp
    NeverGivesUp Posts: 960 Member
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    At a minimum you should take:
    Multi-vitamin
    Fish oil (shoot for 1.2g/day DHA and 1.8g EPA, which will be somewhere between 3-10 capsules, depending on potency)
    Vitamin D+Calcium (2000IU vit. d., 1.2g calcium between sups and food)

    Also consider:
    Magnesium (you should get 500mg/day between sups and food)

    There are no magic supplements that make you lose fat (some caveats for those at very low body fat percentages), but those will put you at a reasonable baseline of health that will make it easier to get in shape.

    If it were possible to just take a pill and burn fat, no one would be fat.

    uh wrong answer. Get your blood tested to see what you need to eat in order to get your vitamins. Vitamin companies get rich off of people that think they need them to be healthy. Food absorbs better than a pressed vitamin pill and the only way to see what you are lacking is to get your blood tested at a doctors. Taking a multi vitamin and others, guessing in the dark is really stupid in my opinion and a huge waste of money. If you have vitamin deficiencies then your blood will tell the story. Don't guess. Too much calcium can cause cancer.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
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    You don't need supplements for weight loss. They're not going to make anything lighter except your wallet. Spend your money on healthy, wholesome food instead.
  • KatLifter
    KatLifter Posts: 1,314 Member
    Options
    At a minimum you should take:
    Multi-vitamin
    Fish oil (shoot for 1.2g/day DHA and 1.8g EPA, which will be somewhere between 3-10 capsules, depending on potency)
    Vitamin D+Calcium (2000IU vit. d., 1.2g calcium between sups and food)

    Also consider:
    Magnesium (you should get 500mg/day between sups and food)

    There are no magic supplements that make you lose fat (some caveats for those at very low body fat percentages), but those will put you at a reasonable baseline of health that will make it easier to get in shape.

    If it were possible to just take a pill and burn fat, no one would be fat.

    Too much calcium can cause cancer.

    Fear mongering and inflammatory. Especially starting with resistance training calcium is really necessary and a lot of people don't get enough.
  • NeverGivesUp
    NeverGivesUp Posts: 960 Member
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    my doctor told me there have been studies linking calcium with cancer and advised me against it. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/01/30/calcium-supplement-on-heart-attack.aspx there are plenty of articles but hell if you want to pay a fortune to put vitamins in your body go right ahead. I really don't care. haha fear mongering. Ignorance is bliss I guess. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2135140/Health-supplements-cause-cancer-Study-finds-products-increase-chance-getting-disease.html and http://www.cidpusa.org/calcium supplements.html I did my research
  • MusicInMyHeart
    MusicInMyHeart Posts: 179
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    I would suggest going to your doctor to do some blood work to see if you lack anything in your body. I was so glad I did because I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism along with a *really* low vitamin D count. I've been on Synthroid and taking D3 for almost a month now and it has made a HUGE improvement in my weight loss and overall wellness.

    On top of those two things, I also take Flaxseed Oil, B12, and Iron (an extra pill during that monthly visit).

    Everybody's needs are different. You just have to find out what works for you :)

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