Caffeine is a methylated xenthine discovered in 1819 by Friedrich Ferdinand Runge, a German chemist. Sources of Caffeine include beans, fruit and leaves of some plants. Caffeine available for human consumption is most commonly extracted from the coffee plant cherries and tea bush leaves, as well as foods and drinks that contain products derived from the kola nut. Caffeine can temporarily reduce the sensation of being tired; however, this does not mean that it eliminates the need for sleep. Generally, twenty five to fifty milligrams of caffeine is enough for most consumers to report an increase in alertness and arousal. Caffeine should be not be consumed by those with fecal incontinence as it relaxes the internal anal sphincter muscles.

Citrus Aurantium is the Latin name for a citrus tree which grows bitter oranges. Traditionally being used by Chinese medicine and herbologists, the extract of the orange and the peel was used as a dietary supplement in concoctions with other herbs to suppress appetite. While other active ingredients of the citrus aurantium may contribute and even promote the effect, the main ingredient used in all weight loss products is synephrine, an alkaloid similar to ephedrine. It is a phenethylamine; it influences the alpha1 adrenergic receptor, constricting blood vessels, additionally increasing the heart rate and the blood pressure. In most cases the use of synephrine is paired with a diet and body building plan, where weight loss and muscle building is essential.

Garcinia Cambogia- Gambooge, a subtropical version of the Garcinia genus and native to Indonesia, is the local name for garcinia cambogia. It bears a pumpkin like yellow coloured fruit, which extract, together with the rind, is in India a curry condiment. Extracts are also being used in several herbal appetite suppressants, but also in some energy providing products and supplements. In the body building community, besides the weight loss properties of garcinia cambogia, the main component, hydroxycitric acid, or HCA, seems to increase the levels of lipolysis in athletes. HCA may even prove to be more effective in combined use with carnitine and pyruvate. In India, garcinia cambogia was traditionally used to treat edema, constipation, irregular menstruation and against intestinal parasites. Further uses include combating rheumatism and bowel related troubles.

Ginger Root has been used as herbal medicine in India, Asia, and Arab countries for a long time. People in China have been using this knotted, thick, underground stem or rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale to improve digestion for over two thousand years. Ginger was also found effective in the treatment of health conditions such as heart problems, arthritis, colic, and diarrhea. Ginger is also a popular cooking spice in different cuisines. The magic herb can also help a great deal in pregnancy, motion sickness, and cancer chemotherapy since it aids in preventing or treating nausea and vomiting associated with it. Many women consume ginger to reduce the pain during menstrual periods. Ginger is also used to reduce inflammation and combat inflammation-related problems such as arthritis and ulcerative colitis. You may buy fresh ginger root or go for other variations like ginger extracts, capsules, and oils.

Hoodia Gordonii is a water retaining plant, also known as a succulent, which grows without leafs. Being native to the south of Africa, it has been in use for an indeterminable amount of time as an appetite suppressant. It is very easily identifiable, because the flowers of this plant have a rotten meat odor. The ingredient of the plant which is responsible for the appetite suppressing effects has been named P57. It is a steroidal glycoside which seems to act directly to the central nervous system’s mechanisms and supposedly raises the content of adenosine triphosphate in brain by at least a half. The effects of P57 in trials were registered as capable to reduce food intake by some fifty per cent on a daily basis.

Vitamin B5 is widely used for its effective use to treat acne. It is also used to relieve pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis and to relieve morning stiffness. Deficiency of Vitamin B5 is rare but can cause nausea, fatigue, headache and skin abnormalities. It plays a key role in the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats to release energy. It is also vital in antibody formation which helps in building immune system and preventing infections.

White Willow Bark, or Salix alba, is a willow commonly found in Europe and adjacent parts of western and central Asia. The bark of the White Willow has been used for centuries against fevers and to ease pains and aches. Already Hippocrates wrote about the White Willow bark powder two thousand five hundred years ago. The active ingredient of the White Willow bark is called salicin, a relative to aspirin and chemical derivative of the salicylic acid. When ingested, salicin is converted to salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid. As a nutritional supplement, White Willow products are being propagated as weight loss additives, whereby the scientific community has yet to provide any corroboration to this allegation. Besides the well known anti inflammatory characteristics, any other uses have not been approved by the FDA.