[MikoMarcia]

Hi everyone,

Ok, so here in Colorado we have this guy on TV called Tom Martino. Basicly he looks out for the little guy and often debunks companies that claim "you can make money, as seen on TV products, diets and pills..." and so on. I'm always watching whenever he does a show on the latest diets because although I know there is no such thing as a magic pill, I'm always hoping that there just might be. (Wishful thinking) And then I saw this on his show. Although he couldn't support claims on the Lep To Thin or Clense to Thin products, he said he was AMAZED by the Ignite Maxx. I have NEVER seen him support any diet pill ever. He did a lot of research and even did his own (unofficial) case study he knew on people trying to lose weight. The ones taking these pills lost a large percentage (38% I think, but I don't remember exactly) over the ones that didn't. When he had the pills broken down he stated that they were about 70% capsaicin and 27% EGCG (green tea extract) and about 3% other.

Sorry about the long post.... but I was wondering if anyone else has ever tried these either seperately or together to aid in weight loss? I have looked up a ton of info on them and other than some people getting heart burn, I haven't seen anything negitive. So I just ordered a bottle of capsaicin pills (6.00) and a bottle of EGCG supplement (4.00) to see if it works for me. I figure 10.00 for about a 3 month supply certainly beats 49.00 for a 1 month supply.

Here's hoping that there is something that might actually help in my battle of the bulge!!

[Priscatip]

I'd be interested to know if you feel like they work. I have read
about green tea helping with weight loss, but I always kind of assumed it was because those people were drinking tea instead of eating. I don't know about in pill form.

[Rashomon]

I know that green tea and capsaicin help increase metabolism, which is why I've seen on some dieting websites that adding some heat to your food can be good.

[ElanaRose]

I love tea I always make a cup or two with a splenda or sweet & Low when I know I'm full but still want something sweet before bed.

[MikoMarcia]

Here is some info on Capsaicin you gals might find interesting. I can't wait to get mine in the mail.

1. Fight Cancer

A study published in Cancer Research found that capsaicin caused cancer cells to commit suicide. The substance caused almost 80 percent of prostate cancer cells to die in mice, and prostate tumors treated with capsaicin were about one-fifth the size of those in untreated mice.

"Capsaicin inhibits the growth of human prostate cancer cells in petri dishes and mice," says lead researcher Dr. H. Phillip Koeffler, director of hematology and oncology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and a professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Further, researchers say capsaicin pills may one day be used to prevent the return of prostate cancer.

Hot peppers' heat is measured using the Scoville Heat Scale. While pure capsaicin measures in at over 16 million Scoville Units, most popular varieties rank around 30,000.

Bell peppers make up the baseline, at zero Scoville Units. While the habaņero pepper was once thought to be the hottest pepper, measuring in at 300,000 units, an Indian chili pepper called Naga Jolokia was tested in 2000 and received a searing score of 855,000 units!

2. Provide Pain Relief

A topical form of capsaicin is a recognized treatment for osteoarthritis pain, and may also help alleviate pain from diabetic neuropathy.

Capsaicin is also known to inhibit Substance P, a neuropeptide that is the key transmitter of pain to the brain. Substance P can cause swelling of nerve fibers, which may result in headaches and sinus symptoms. Studies have found that capsaicin both relieves and prevents cluster headaches, migraine headaches and sinus headaches.

3. Prevent Sinusitis and Relieve Congestion

Capsaicin has potent antibacterial properties that fight and prevent chronic sinus infections, or sinusitis. Because it is so hot, it also helps to stimulate secretions that help clear mucus from your nose, thereby relieving nasal congestion. This phytochemical may also help relieve sinus-related allergy symptoms.

4. Fight Inflammation

Capsaicin is a potent anti-inflammatory agent. It works by inhibiting Substance P, which is associated with inflammatory processes. Capsaicin is being looked at as a potential treatment for arthritis, psoriasis and diabetic neuropathy.

5. Soothe Intestinal Diseases

A Duke University study found that capsaicin may lead to a cure for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The substance can also help to kill bacteria such as H. pylori, which can help prevent stomach ulcers.

6. Burn Fat and Lose Weight

Capsaicin is a thermogenic agent, which means it increases metabolic activity. This, in turn, helps to burn calories and fat. Many popular "fat-burning" supplements on the market contain capsaicin, as the substance may significantly increase metabolic activity for over 20 minutes after it's eaten.

7. Protect Your Heart

Capsaicin may help to protect the heart by reducing cholesterol, triglycerides and platelet aggregation. It may also help the body dissolve fibrin, which is necessary for blood clots to form. Further, cultures around the world that use hot peppers liberally in their meals have significantly lower rates of heart attack and stroke than cultures that do not.

And this is a little more recent:

Capsaicin, In Red Pepper Inhibits the Growth of Fat Cells
Obesity may be reduced by preventing immature fat cells (adipocytes) from developing into mature cells, and other studies have shown that capsaicin can decrease the amount of fat tissue and decrease fat levels in the blood.

Seems like it at least can't hurt, right?

[JayLei]

Hi MikoMarcia... can you give us an update on if you think these are working for you?

[slimmingsi]

not sure about capsaicin however green tea i can talk about.

1. drinking green tea can "assist in weight loss" however it is very hard to distinguish if this is due to the very minor thermogenic affets or becuase you essentially drinking flavoured water. i.e not drinking a normal tea/coffee with cream, milk and sugar etc.

2. has a diuretic affect. drink it i'll pee like a racehorse for the first few days. it does strip all stored water out from the body leading to initial weight loss of anything up 14lbs depending on your initial size.

3. to see best effects you cant' just drink 1 a day ontop of your normal diet as you'll never notice the difference if any are made. if you switch to green tea completely from your normal hot drinks and consume water instead of your normal cold drinks it will make you feel more relaxed due to reduced caffine levels. as i mentioned in no 1. as you'd be drinking without the milk/cream and sugar etc over the course of a day you could cut easily a few hundred calories for a heavy drinker.


Myth busting time. there is more caffine in tea than coffee. gram for gram correct. however.. when you make coffee you dissolve the whole of the amount of coffee grinds in the water to produce the drink. where as with tea you soak the leaf in water for a relatively short period of time. hence a cup of tea has less caffine than coffee. = less strung out better sleep and better general all round .

[motivated chickie]

This is an interesting read because I love hot peppers so much that I eat them with everything. I stick mostly to jalapenos, but I would like add the spicier serrano in my diet. I've tried habaneros, but I was a scared of them so I only sampled a bit of it. And I use Sriracha sauce like some people use ketchup. I don't think of hot peppers as a weight loss aid, but they are low in calories. I wouldn't bother taking a pill because they are so very tasty, in a burning sort of way. I'm glad they may have health benefits in fighting cancer.

For those who want to try hot peppers in their diet and not the pill, I suggest go slow because they can wreak havoc on the digestive system. And the classic American diet is so bland that the kick of a hot pepper may take time to get used to.

[MikoMarcia]

So far so good! I actually weigh in tomorrow, so I'll see my loss for this week. But one thing I've noticed almost instantly is it curbs my hunger like nothing else has been able to do. I also like hot food, but you will never get enough capsaicin eating them with food unless you eat ALOT! I have had no heartburn or anything like that. But I have noticed (WARNING TMI) that my poo is now very orange like a hot pepper lol and my pee and poo both smell an aweful lot like tabasco. No pain or anything when going.

I am taking green tea pills. Well EGCG pills so more of a concentrated form. I like to also drink green tea, but I just don't drink enough of it. I will let you know tomorrow what my weigh in is. My coach told me it might take a few weeks before I start noticing any major changes, like with any supplement.

[Suzanne 3FC]

The only published study ever done on green tea showed that if you drink 4 cups of green tea religiously every day for a year, you can lose up to 8 pounds. That's 8 pounds for the whole year. The fat burning abilities are minimal. However, drinking green tea can help you avoid other calorie filled foods so it really helps in that way, plus it's loaded with antioxidants. So, it does help, but not in the way the marketers would have you believe

Capsicum - There seems to be a lack of clinical evidence that this can help with weight loss, and most claims are anecdotal at best. Something important to keep in mind is that capsicum supplements can cause GI distress, irritated mucous membranes, and other health problems. It can also adversely affect certain blood pressure medications, asthma medications, and other drugs.

Sometimes it's best to avoid the gimmicks and just stick with a healthy diet and exercise program. it's not worth it to risk our health to reach goal a few days earlier

[MikoMarcia]

Didn't weight in- my TOM- I always skip that week. So far, I really am having no side effects, if anything, I feel a lot better. But I suffer from chronic sinusitis, and the bit of draining has helped A LOT. (No more constant headaches, although I still get them now and then.) Ohhh but I do agree with Suzanne - if you are taking medications you should never ever ever take ANY supplement without consulting a doctor. I do not agree that it's just a gimmick. I did measure myself and I am down 2 inches on my waist! In just the last week!! That's much better than diet and exercise alone was doing. But we'll see how long I actually lose like that.
Keep in mind, too. I am still eating better and working out (a little) 4 or 5 days a week. NOTHING will ever work without diet and exercise. Again, I'm hopeful, I'm seeing wonderful things, no side effects so far, and not feeling hungry all the time. Who's going to argue with that?

[MikoMarcia]

Ok... so I wanted to update enyone who was interested. This week I lost 4 lbs!!! I've been averaging 1-2 a week. This is my biggest loss, and I only exercised 2 days. I can't wait to see what happens when I get back to my normal schedule of working out, too. And I feel really good. Pretty much all my cravings are gone, (Even during TOM, but if I'm around something I usually like I still want it) And I am not hungry at all between meals. ^_^ I think that's probably what's helping me out the most. I haven't binged once since starting the suppliments. The first week was all will power, but after that I just haven't wanted to. I would love to know if this is working for anyone else. I need to talk to my other friend who said he was going to try it. Sorry this is so lengthy, but I'm so excited. It actually made me cry a little.

[JayLei]

So glad to hear about your success! No apologies about the length of your post, more information is always better than less in my opinion.

I'm going to run to the store and pick up a bottle of each and add them to my "cocktail" (vitamins and alli) and see how it does for me.

Thanks for the update!

[MikoMarcia]

Please let me know! My friend said he lost 5lbs this week. (Which I hope is true but doubting, he just started) How is Alli working for you?

[NightAngel26]

Well, I have some experience with capsaicin, as I figured it must up the metabolism and I always did seem to be sluggish. I tried it a while back, but if I don't eat at that point then I will get sick. My heart seems to race at times, esp on an empty stomach and I def feel warmer. I was impressed with the feelings otherwise and I think it does it's job in the metabolism department but was worried about the heart thing and my nausea. I had the same reaction with my heart on Stacker as well. I do not have heart trouble in general though. As far as capsaicin and green tea together let me know how that goes.

I prefer not do do anything simultaneously though, so right now I prob wouldn't try something else but if you can let me know how you plan this diet, that would be interesting. I am currently taking Alli and have been for a few months (with a break a couple of times to wait for pills and such ... yes poor planning but actually it seems to make them work better too interestingly). That is going well, so we will see. I almost added zenadrin-3...I think it's called, and it seems to do something too, but it surely does what caffeine is expected in that dosage, keep me awake and anxious!!! Not sure I'm interested in that! Anyway.... enough of my ranting, hope it works for you, I'm interested in your progress and food and exercise plan.... have a good night!