BOSTON, July 24 MA-Zurich-New-Product
BOSTON, July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Health and nutrition researcher Frank
Ervolino, ND, investigated a product that claims success in suppressing
appetite without the risks associated with stimulants. He reports that
Appetite Down (http://www.appetitedown.com), a natural product from Zurich
Pharmaceuticals, makes novel use of an established ingredient with promising
results.
Consumers will take drastic measures to lose weight. In fact, in the
U.S., where the CDC estimates that greater than 30% of adults are obese,
consumers spend up to $50 billion a year to combat fat. That includes an
estimated $5 billion spent in weight loss and appetite suppression supplements
and 200,000 bariatric -- or weight loss -- surgeries in 2007.
Nowhere are there more promises -- and questionable results -- than in the
supplement market.
A "Who's Who" of health organizations caution against weight loss and
appetite suppression products. Harvard Medical School, the Mayo Clinic, and
Consumer Reports all have lists of ingredients that don't work or are
potentially harmful.
Even when safe, there are factors that cause concern about appetite
control products. Thermogenic ingredients, like caffeine, are powerful
stimulants that can be highly addictive. And non-thermogenic remedies can
require daily doses of as much as 3 grams to be effective.
Ervolino has watched patients grapple with a common enemy -- the urge to
eat. Appetite Down is an all-natural appetite suppression lozenge that uses
Gymnema sylvestre in a proprietary formulation to curb hunger cravings. It's
also caffeine-free and ephedrine-free.
Gymnema has been used as a natural remedy for blood sugar regulation for
centuries. A 2003 Harvard Medical School meta-analysis reviewed over 100
clinical trials involving over 4,500 patients with diabetes or impaired
glucose tolerance. It concluded that Gymnema sylvestre was safe and
demonstrated "positive preliminary results."
Ervolino was impressed by another feature of Gymnema sylvestre. Research
indicates that delivering gymnemic acid in a slow-dissolving lozenge can block
the sense of sweetness and discourage appetite for up to 2 hours. Appetite
Down does this in a slow-release lozenge that uses high-impact sweeteners to
mask Gymnema's natural bitterness.
Diet management and weight loss in the U.S. are urgent and serious
matters. Ervolino's research suggests that stimulant-free, non-addictive
natural products like Appetite Down may provide a useful aid in the battle
against obesity.
Appetite Down is a new product, and has not yet been tested in a clinical
setting, but its potential is promising, Ervolino concludes.
SOURCE Zurich Pharmaceuticals
