Monday, February 16, 2009

Pros and Cons of Menopausal Weight Loss Products

By Ricardo d Argence

Apart from the bothersome indication of menopause, weight gain in women during this span is very usual. This weight gain is often an accident, and will happen, even in women who had not made any changes in diet or reduce their level of activity.

As you might imagine, there are a lot of weight loss products aimed at menopausal women. But are these products really worth it? Let's take a look into a variety of products and their strengths and weaknesses, the mechanism for weight gain during menopause, as well as risks related to overweight in the menopause.

Gaining weight during menopause is common for several different reasons. One is sluggish and inadequate digestive function that is the result of aging. More nutrients in your body is processed when food is kept in your digestive tract longer, ensuring that you absorb more nutrients from your food, including fat and calories.

Menopause causes hormonal changes including lower estrogen levels, which can lead to weight gain. This is because estrogen and fat production are linked, fat cells help regulate estrogen production. When estrogen levels go down during menopause, a woman's body might attempt to retain as much fat as it is able in order to deal with this decrease in the amount of estrogen. Hormones and the fat of the body to work together, a complex feedback loop, affecting appetite, metabolism and fat storage.

The risks of weight gain are amplified for menopausal women. More weight at any position of life risks, such as the increase in high-risk high blood pressure, high cholesterol, breast and reproductive system cancers, diabetes and heart disease. As estrogen is a proactive reason against the cardiovascular disease, the chances of suffering from heart disease enhances when the estrogen level goes down, even if the women going through menopause phase don't gain extra weight. The risks of these health problems are compounded, for women who are overweight after menopause.

So, should you use menopausal weight loss produces to control weight gain in menopause? Let's examine a few of these products:

Estrin-D: This product contains a number of metabolism-increasing stimulants. These are xanthine (caffeine) derived formulations like yerba matte, caffeine, and guarana, along with some other innocuous herbal ingredients. While the product does indeed rev up metabolism, there are many risks associated with stimulant-based products. Also, the high levels of caffeine and other stimulants in this formula can cause tachycardia, high blood pressure, a feeling of 'edginess', and excessive perspiration. Caffeine is also thought to contribute to hot flashes during menopause. These considerations make Estrin-D a less-than-ideal choice for menopausal weight loss.

Zalestra: Zalestra includes a far safer array of herbal ingredients that are designed to create a more gentle increase in metabolism, while treating some of the unpleasant symptoms of menopause. This product does not have the negative health risks of caffeine-containing products.

Estrolean: The product has a minimal quantity of thermogenic components such as aspirin and caffeine. It is claimed that the natural estrogen present in this product regulates hormone fluctuations that sometimes go along with increases in weight with menopausal women.

They will not cause you to lose weight without eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise, while some of these preparations may have benefit in reducing menopausal symptoms. At worst they can have dangerous and unpleasant side effects,and at best, they might help a little with weight loss.

During menopause, it is vital to eat a diet rich in fiber, eat whole foods, and keep your fat intake at moderate levels to achieve optimum weight control. Along with adequate amounts of vital nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fats,a healthy diet that emphasizes fruits, veggies, grains, and lean sources of protein. There's no better way to lose weight during menopause. - 16004

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