Hoodia gordonii (Hoodia) - Hoodia is a stoneage wonder plant found throughout the dry arid regions of Southwestern Africa now on the verge of making history. Not long ago, Scientists isolated several actives components in this amazing plant capable of producing real dramatic weight loss.

The appetite suppressant effects of Hoodia were first observed in 1937 by a Dutch anthropologist studying the primitive San Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert. It was noticed that the nomadic Bushmen, (who call it Xhoba) ate the stem of the Hoodia plant to stave off hunger during long hunting trips in the sparsely vegetated area.

The active ingredient in Hoodia is the appetite-suppressing molecule, P57. Scientists say P57 acts on the brain in a manner similar to glucose. It tricks the brain into thinking you are full even when you have not eaten, reduces interest in food and delays the time before hunger sets in.

Chá de Bugre - Chá de bugre is a small tree growing 8-12 meters in height with a trunk 30-40 cm in diameter. It is indigenous to Brazil and can be found growing predominately in the Brazilian states of Minas Gerais, Bahia, Acre and Goias. It is also found in tropical forest areas of Argentina and Paraguay. In Brazil, the tree is botanically classified as Cordia salicifolia and in Paraguay the same tree is classified as Cordia ecalyculata. In Brazil, it is commonly called café do mato (coffee of the woods) because it produces a red fruit resembling a coffee bean which is roasted and brewed into tea as a coffee substitute.

Even though the positive effects of Chá de Bugre have been known for centuries, it is only a few years that this 'miracle tree' has been scientifically researched. After the analysis of phytochemicals in the plant, Chá de Bugre has been found a valuable source of caffeine (found in the red cherry fruit), potassium, allantoin and allantoic acid.

The presence of these ingredients explains the power of Chá de Bugre to fight obesity and prevent cellulitide. Allantoic acid is reported to reduce body fat and to stimulate the growth of healthy tissue. Potassium assists in muscle contraction, maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance in body cells and sending nerve impulses as well as releasing energy from protein, fat, and carbohydrates during metabolism.

Chá de Bugre has long been a popular weight loss product in Brazil as a diuretic, appetite suppressant, and is believed to help prevent or reduce fatty deposits and cellulite. Dr. C.L. Cruz in his book, Dictionary of the Plants Used in Brazil, recommends chá de bugre as an excellent diuretic and weight loss aid as well as a good general heart tonic which can help stimulate circulation.

One certainly sees less cellulite on Rio's beaches than most American beaches. Chá de bugre is a natural weight loss aid in Rio and throughout Brazil. It is a great appetite suppressant - but rather than cutting off appetite all together (then causing intense hunger when it wears off at the wrong time) it gives one a sense of being full and satiated after eating only a few bites of food. This seems to promote much smaller meals, more often, which is what many practitioners believe is better for sustained weight loss and keeping the metabolism going throughout the day.

Green Tea Extract – Studies show that green tea can increase your metabolic rate by as much as 4%, safely and without side effects. Green Tea helps you lose weight by raising your metabolism. Research has demonstrated that green tea extract can accelerate the fat burning process (Dulloo, 1996). In fact, the consumption of green tea extract increased the fat burning process in humans by 35-43%.

Green tea also contains Theanine, a naturally occurring amino acid that helps you relax and promotes a sense of well being by boosting GABA levels (another “feel good” neurotransmitter) in the body.

Magnolia Bark - In the fight against obesity and weight management, Magnolia Bark has recently been recognized as an efficient fat burner. It is said that the magnolol and honokial in the herb effectively inhibit the body's production of cortisol, the substance that liberates fat from adipose cells and thus suppresses fat storage, particularly in the abdominal and belly area.

Glucomannan - According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, Glucomannan (GM) is differentiated from other soluble fibers by the extraordinarily high viscosity of GM solutions. Administration of 4-5g of GM with meals, blended into fluid or mixed with food, can slow carbohydrate absorption and dampen the postprandial insulin response by up to 50%. Controlled clinical studies document that GM can promote satiety and weight loss, lower LDL cholesterol, improve diabetic control, and correct constipation, with minimal if any side-effects.

L-Theanine - According to Carolyn Perrini, CLS, CNC in her article L-Theanine: How a Unique Anxiety Reducer and Mood Enhancer Increases Alpha Waves and Alertness "L-Theanine acid stimulates the production of alpha brain waves, creating a state of deep relaxation and mental alertness similar to what is achieved through meditation. Second, L-theanine is involved in the formation of the inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA). GABA influences the levels of two other neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin, producing the key relaxation effect.”

L-theanine has been shown to:

• Have a calming effect
• Protect and restore the brain
• Stimulate the immune system, and even make cancer chemotherapy more effective with fewer side effects.
• Induce deep states of relaxation without sedation
• Relieve some PMS and menopausal symptoms
• Increase focused attention and improve learning
• Relieve nicotine addiction
• Prevents jitters caused by caffeine (while increasing mental clarity)

Chromium - This essential trace mineral is required for normal protein, fat, and carbohydrate metabolism. According to Dr. Michael Janson, author of The Vitamin Revolution in Healthcare and President of the American Preventive Medical Association (APMA), "Chromium is important for proper insulin activity. Insulin moves sugar into the muscle cells, where it is burned off as energy. Chromium improves the activity of insulin, and since insulin causes fat deposition, less of it means less fat deposition." Chromium has also been shown to build muscle tissue and to reduce LDL cholesterol, which has been linked to heart disease.

An early study found that overweight adults taking a chromium supplement lost an average of 22% body fat, while maintaining or gaining lean body mass. In another study, athletes consuming 200 mcg. of chromium a day showed an average loss of 7.5 pounds of body fat after six weeks, without a corresponding loss of muscle tissue.

Caffeine Anhydrous USP - There is probably no other fat burning ingredient in the world with more clinical research tested on it than Caffeine. Caffeine promotes exercise performance (both endurance and power activities), decreases one's pain perception, promotes calorie burning due to its potent thermogenic effect and is the best natural agent for improving mental clarity.*

Theobromine - An organic, nitrogen containing substance that is found naturally in a number of dietary sources. It is a major component of cocoa and a minor component in both coffee and tea. Theobromine is similar in structure to caffeine, and like caffeine, it belongs to a class of alkaloid molecules known as methylxanthines. Methylxanthines occur naturally in as many as sixty different plant species found throughout the world. Theobromine has an effect that is similar to that of caffeine, but on a slightly milder scale.

Theobromine can also be used as a stimulant and weight loss aid. It has diuretic properties similar to caffeine and has also been shown in clinical studies to reduce food intake. Theobromine has a powerful appetite-suppressing effect. It can act on the central nervous system to help decrease appetite and make a person feel full. Theobromine is also the "feel-good" ingredient in chocolate.