Three Great Supplements For Weight Loss

Nutritional supplements can enhance your ability to lose weight and balance blood sugar levels.  The following are three of my favorites.

Hydroxycitric Acid (HCA). Hydroxycitric acid comes from the dried rind of the fruit of Garcinia cambogia, a tree indigenous to southern India known as the Malabar tamarind. Hydroxycitric acid is a lipogenic inhibitor—that is, it slows down the production and storage of fat.

The carbohydrates you eat are converted into glucose, your body’s primary fuel. Carbohydrate energy is then converted into glycogen and stored in the muscles and liver for future use. When the muscles and liver run out of storage capacity, excess glucose is converted into fat. HCA inhibits this process. It also suppresses your appetite by increasing glycogen formation in your liver, which then sends appropriate signals to your brain so you don’t feel hungry.

I recommend 750 mg per day (250 mg with each meal).

Chromium Picolinate. Chromium is an essential trace mineral that helps to support a healthy insulin response. This allows for better transport of glucose into cells for energy, which helps to promote healthy blood sugar levels. Chromium also promotes normal protein, carbohydrate, and fat metabolism.

I recommend 800 mcg of chromium picolinate daily.

L-Carnitine. This supplement is commonly recommended for heart health because of its ability to improve the conversion of fatty acids into energy, thereby preventing their accumulation within the heart muscle. But this vitamin-like compound also “pushes” fatty acids into your cells’ mitochondria, where they are burned and used to rev up your metabolism.

I recommend 1,000 mg twice a day.