Anti-Cellulite Products
The products:Creams and gels intended to eliminate cellulite,the puckery fat
that forms on the butt, hips, and thighs of most women and some men. What
are the magic ingredients? Cellasene pills contain, among other things, gingko
biloba, sweet clover, grapeseed bioflavonoids, and dried fucus vesiculosus
(a kelp-like seaweed found off the Atlantic coasts of Europe). Lipofactor cream
is made of “biotechnologically derived elements a/y.” We have absolutely no
idea what this means, but this phrase is repeated all over the Internet.The reality: Talk about scientific mumbo jumbo! No legitimate research exists
to show that any pill or cream can reduce cellulite. Physiologically speaking,
cellulite doesn’t even exist. The term is marketing hype for plain old fat that
clumps at various points on your body. The ripple effect is caused by a net-
work of connective tissue fibers that attach muscle to skin and compartmen-
talize the fat like stitching on a quilt. You reduce cellulite the same way you
reduce any fat: through a healthy diet and regular exercise. However, you
may never lose the ripples. For some people, they’re a genetic fact of life.Metabolism Boosters
The products: Pills and powders intended to speed up your metabolism so
that your body burns more calories during the course of the day without
requiring you to increase activity. Several of these supplements — such as
Ultra Burn, CitraLean, and Hydroxycut — contain HCA (hydroxycitric acid), a
form of citric acid found in fruits. Others contain chromium picolinate, a form
of the mineral chromium, or ephedra (also called ma huang), an herbal stimu-
lant. Some combine almost every ingredient known to mankind.The reality: Solid research shows that chromium picolinate has little nutri-
tional value. Only two legitimate, published studies have even tested HCA in
humans, and the results were contradictory. (Animal studies have shown the
substance to be toxic, causing rat testicles to atrophy.) As for ephedra, the FDA
has fielded more than 800 reports of medical problems from this stimulant,
including heart attacks, strokes, seizures, and a nasty side-effect known as
death. Ephedrine can be especially lethal for those with high blood pressure.
It is banned in California.Amphetamines and over-the-counter stimulants can indeed rev up your metab-
olism, but even if you can withstand the side-effects (such as increased blood
pressure and heart rate), your body tends to adapt to these substances, so
the effect is likely to be short-lived. The only safe and lasting way to boost
your metabolic rate is to increase your muscle mass by lifting weights (and
even that, as we explain in Chapter 11, isn’t going to have a magical effect).374 Part VIII: The Part of Tens