What would you say if there was an all natural appetite suppressant which could kill those food cravings and let you sleep all night? Forget about those raids on the fridge! Let's look at various types of appetite suppressants and consider whether they are safe or not.

Did you know that amphetamine itself was sold commercially as an appetite suppressant until it was outlawed in most parts of the world in the late 1950s due to increased recreational use.? But there were concerns about the side effects regarding ephedrine (from the same stable) which resulted in an FDA ban on its inclusion in dietary supplements. In spite of these precedents, numerous compounds are marketed today as appetite suppressants. There are five main problems with appetite suppressants, which include the side effects, the loss of healthy nutrients, stomach problems, energy loss and low caloric intake, and the body backfiring. Most appetite suppressants contain caffeine and ephedra. When put into the combinations it is used for in appetite suppressants, ephedra becomes more of a drug. Though one side effect is that of appetite loss, there are plenty that are not quite as desirable. Some side effects of appetite suppressants include irritability, increased heart rate, nervousness, insomnia, and high blood pressure.

So now we know ! What can we take then to keep our appetite at bay? Here are some herbal appetite suppressants :-

1. Synephrine offers all the advantages of a stimulant, without the negative side effects associated with Ephedra.

2. Many physicians still prefer the use of White willow to that of synthetic aspirin because of the lower incidence of side effects associated with the herb.

3. Yerba maté acts as a stimulant very similar to coffee however, the stimulant effect last longer and there are no side effects. Yerba maté is also responsible for the following positive effects: appetite suppressant, natural diuretic, enhances immune system, relieves constipation, decreases blood pressure, natural stimulant, etc.

4. Supplementing Chromium in the diet can have the following positive effects: appetite suppressant, lowers blood sugar, decreases body fat, maintains health blood lipid levels, etc.

5. At present, there are no known side effects to the use of Hoodia. Hoodia Gordonii is a cactus that was originally used by Bushmen in the Kalahari Desert of South Africa to help suppress their hunger on long hunts without food. Hoodia is NOT a stimulant. In South Africa, Hoodia is not even considered as a drug as it has been used as a nutritional substance for hundreds of years.