Weight loss from Citrus?

Marjet D. Heitzer, Ph.D. The Plateau-proof Diet Foundation http://www.plateauproofdiet.com Email: info@plateauproofdiet.com Does drinking a small quantity of citrus juice in the morning jump start your metabolism? The simple answer is no. Although the basis of this dieting myth is elusive at best, it is possible that its creator heard about the new Ephedra substitute, synephrine, found in the outer peel of Citrus aurantium also known as the Seville orange or bitter orange. Synephrine is marketed as an ephedra substitute that increases metabolic temperature, utilizing a greater amount of fat stores as energy during a workout. Synephrine is closely related to ephedra, increasing thermogenesis (your body's production of heat by burning fat), appetite suppression as well as increasing energy. Although manufacturers of synephrine claim that it possesses all the beneficial characteristics of ephedra, without posing the health threats associated with ephedra, some recent data suggests that synephrine may be just as harmful as ephedra. For example, one such study found that synephrine not only causes hypertension and increases heart rate, but also interacts with other prescription medications, affecting their metabolism (1). Metabolism of medications is the way in which your body breaks down ingested drugs before they can be eliminated from the body. When a drug's metabolism is inhibited, toxic levels of that drug could build up in your body in a relatively short amount of time. Synephrine may also induce vasoconstriction, leading to ischemic stroke (2). Caffeine contaminants from guarana, mat