Ephedra Free Diet Pills Review

 

"Ephedra-free" diet pills often substitute synephrine for ephedra/ephedrine. Synephrine is the main "active" compound found in the fruit of a plant called Citrus aurantium. The fruit is also known as zhi shi, green orange, sour orange or bitter orange in other parts of the world. Synephrine is chemically very similar to the ephedrine and pseudo-ephedrine found in many OTC cold/allergy medications and in weight loss and energy supplements which contain Ma Huang.

Because synephrine is a stimulant, similar to caffeine and ephedrine, it is thought to have similar effects in terms of providing an energy boost, suppressing appetite and increasing metabolic rate and caloric expenditure.

The effects of synephrine by itself or in combination with other ingredients such as kola nut and guarana or with salicylates such as white willow, generally fall into the category of acting as a mild stimulant.

Citrus aurantium extract exists as one of the most over-hyped ingredients in the ephedra free diet pill scene. There are some interesting theories on how it might work to increase metabolic rate and promote weight loss, but most are layered in pseudo-scientific terminology and none are backed by any credible scientific evidence of effectiveness in humans.

Both isolated synephrine and citrus aurantium extract have been shown to raise blood pressure in animal studies. Until more studies are conducted on the safety, pharmacology and efficacy of citrus aurantium as a thermogenic supplement, it should be treated as an ingredient with mild stimulant properties and should be avoided by individuals with cardiovascular concerns such as hypertension.