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