Methods and means of reducing appetite

It is important to realize that the successful fight against increased appetite does not always depend directly on willpower. Regular overeating may be related to physical or mental factors that cannot be eliminated by "willpower alone".

In general, appetite intensity depends on body mass index (BMI):

• at a normal body weight (in relation to gender, age, height and body type), the appetite control system functions normally. This system is made up of many components - blood sugar (glucose) levels, hormones, protein-peptides in the intestines, neurotransmitters in the brain and others. They all influence in a certain way the satiety center in the brain, regulate the feeling of hunger/satiety, so that the whole system works properly - without "hunger attacks";
• in overweight and obesity, the appetite control system no longer works properly. One of the reasons for this dysfunction is the growth of fat cells in the abdominal area, and the key factor is insulin resistance (IR, prediabetes) - the reduced sensitivity of cells to the hormone insulin.

In the second case, the body is on the 'insulin seesaw', where glial cells in the brain send an SOS signal to the hypothalamus when blood sugar levels drop, stimulating the feeling of hunger. An overweight person may therefore feel hungry almost constantly. Normalizing blood sugar levels helps regain control over appetite.

Drug treatment of insulin resistance is managed by an endocrinologist. We now look at additional non-drug methods to reduce appetite without harming health.

Biologically active preparations to reduce appetite

Chrom

Since overweight is mainly caused by "fast" carbohydrates (all products with a high content of refined sugar, fructose, bakery products not made from whole grains, etc.), you should first, if not give them up completely, at least reduce their quantity. Dietary supplements containing chromium, usually in the form of picolinate, help.

Chromium participates with insulin in the transport of nutrients (glucose) into the body's cells - it normalizes the permeability of cell membranes for glucose and signals to the cells that food has been delivered. In this way, insulin's efficiency is increased and the brain sends a satiety signal in time, instead of only doing so when a weekly ration of food has been consumed at once.

In this way, it is much easier not to overeat with chromium-containing food supplements.

5-HTP

5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) is a dietary supplement and an amino acid present in protein. This substance is also known by its international non-proprietary name (INN) oxitriptan.

The amino acid is involved in the metabolism of tryptophan and also mediates the biosynthesis of melatonin ('sleep hormone') and serotonin ('happy hormone') in nervous tissue and the liver. By increasing serotonin levels, 5-HTP is used to reduce appetite - at low levels of this hormone, appetite increases, especially for sweets.

5-HTP is used not only as an appetite suppressant, but also as:

• "mild non-drug antidepressant", including for severe depressive disorders in combination therapy;
• means of improving sleep - due to its influence on melatonin synthesis.

Garcinia extract

Garcinia cambogia extract is a clinically researched and highly effective herbal dietary supplement (capsules or tablets) for appetite reduction. It contains hydroxycitric acid, which:

• helps control and significantly reduce appetite;
• inhibits cleavage of the enzyme citrate-lyase, which is responsible for converting carbohydrates into fat.

It is most effective to take Garcinia dietary supplements half an hour to an hour before meals, with sufficient water. In some cases, the dietary supplement is also taken during meals - guide by your own feelings to find the optimal dosing schedule.

Other preparations

Preparations such as L-carnitine, Grandaxin and alpha-lipoic acid are often discussed in the context of the question "How to reduce appetite without harming your health". However, each of them has its own peculiarities, which you should be aware of, and it is not recommended to take these remedies without a prescription.

Important information:

• L-carnitine does not reduce appetite. It is an amino acid, a derivative of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which in its properties resembles B vitamins. Yes, the substance has fat-burning properties and controls blood sugar levels. However, it increases rather than reduces appetite. You should therefore be very careful with your diet and do not neglect regular physical activity when taking L-carnitine.
• Grandaxone (Tofisopam) is an anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) drug, a sedative. It does not directly influence appetite, although the possible side effects listed in the instructions include appetite reduction. The preparation is generally used in psychiatry and neurology. If excessive appetite is linked to a mental disorder, treatment with Grandaxin may be beneficial and reduce appetite as a 'bonus'.
• Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), also known as thioctic acid. It increases heat production and helps with higher energy intake as well as moderately reducing appetite. ALA is mainly prescribed for diabetes because it increases insulin receptor sensitivity and has a positive effect on fat and carbohydrate metabolism - it converts carbohydrates into energy and prevents fat accumulation. However, the preparation has a number of side effects and is not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It should not be taken without consulting a doctor.

Vitamins to reduce appetite

These include primarily:

• The B vitamins - B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin, PP), B4 (choline), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), B8 (inositol) and B12 (cyanocobalamin). Each of them has its own benefits in the fight against excessive appetite and overweight - depending on the type, these water-soluble vitamins regulate metabolic processes, activate fat burning, control blood sugar levels, etc.;
• Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) - reduces feelings of hunger. This fat-soluble, hormone-like vitamin has many useful properties, but can be extremely dangerous in case of overdose;
• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) - helps break down glucose and 'excess' fat deposits.

What can you eat to lose weight?

A common question :) But it can be approached seriously and scientifically. Foods and drinks that help avoid overeating include:

• Animal protein - lean meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs. According to some studies, the daily requirement of protein is 0.8-1.2g per kilogram of body weight. The effectiveness of a low carbohydrate, high protein diet has been found to be based on increasing the amount of protein in the diet and not on reducing the amount of carbohydrate. Important. If you have kidney disease, consult your doctor;
• fiber - plant fibers that are not digested in the digestive system, but create a feeling of fullness in the stomach, which helps to avoid overeating. Fiber increases the production of leptin ('the satiety hormone') and has many other useful properties, including supporting the normal gut microbiome - it acts as a prebiotic;
• dark chocolate - reduces appetite, unlike milk chocolate. But don't overdo it! For the desired effect, a small piece is enough (sometimes even the smell of dark chocolate with 85% cocoa);
• Solid foods - Meta-analysis of 22 different studies confirmed that the more we chew our food, the longer the feeling of fullness lasts;
• decaffeinated coffee. It is known that regular coffee can 'lessen' the feeling of hunger, but studies have shown that decaffeinated coffee does this better;
• Pure, still water. Water is the best aid in any diet. In addition, scientists believe that 300-500 ml of water drunk before meals can significantly reduce appetite.

Appetite, neurology and psychology

Appetite increases with sleep deprivation. And it's not surprising - a body that can't rest fully in its sleep tries to 'fuel' itself with food, increasing levels of the 'hunger' hormone ghrelin and reducing production of the 'satiety' hormone leptin.

Appetite reduction is helped by stress control - this affects people who tend to eat because of stress. Stress increases the release of the hormone cortisol, which activates physiological mechanisms that increase appetite. The body demands carbohydrate-rich foods, preferably sweet, which leads to weight gain. By the way, hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), which I mentioned above, can be used as part of stress management, thus reducing appetite more effectively.

Use small plates. Studies have shown that when you put the same amount of food on different sized plates, the brain thinks there's more food on the small plate than on the large one. This visual "trick" helps satiety with smaller portions. By the way, this psychological trick also applies to spoons: the bigger the spoon, the more we tend to eat. But with forks, it's the other way around: psychologists recommend using a large fork - with a small one we risk eating more because we are not aware of how much food we have already eaten.

We hope the recommendations in this article will be helpful to our readers in the fight against unconscious overeating.