There is a wide choice of herbal remedies available over the counter that claim to help you lose weight. The majority of them work by suppressing the appetite or “tricking” your body into thinking it’s full. If you feel full then you simply don’t want to eat, the less you eat, the more weight you are likely to lose.

However while herbal remedies are usually organic due to them consisting of flower and plant material they are only suitable for helping with weight loss in the short term. Some could even possibly be dangerous. Another factor to take into account is that they are not miracle pills and you will only see results if you eat sensibly and follow a daily exercise regime.

While some of the most popular appetite depressants are listed below, it would be wise to consult your doctor before self-medicating, even if it is only an herbal remedy.

Ma-huang commonly known as Ephedra contains ephedrine and is commonly found in many weight loss supplements. However recently sales of this have become stricter but it can still be found. Ephedrine is known for its abilities to suppress the appetite but it has side effects such as dizziness, anxiety, and irregular heartbeat and in some cases has been known to cause heart attack.

St Johns wort is another herbal remedy that is used in weight loss although primarily it is used to treat depression. This herb is used along with Ephedra in the product “phen-fen”.

5HT-P is the main ingredient in many over the counter remedies for weight loss. The remedy is extracted from a West African plant seed; however if taken in large doses it has been known to have a negative effect on the liver and as such care should be taken when using this remedy.

Kite-o-san is a dietary supplement taken from the skeleton of crabs, shrimps and other shellfish. This cannot be ingested by the body and so passes through unabsorbed without adding a single calorie. As it passes through the body it binds with any fatty foods and takes these with it.

Chromium is often promoted as a fat burner and weight loss aid, the evidence is inconclusive as to the weight loss benefits of this supplement.

Cascara is one of a minority of herbs which has actually been approved by the FDA and is a very strong stimulant laxative. It is one of the ingredients found readily in many over the counter weight loss remedies.

Glucomannan gives you a feeling of fullness when taken in weight loss supplements. It is said to work by delaying the absorption of glucose from the intestines. However it has thought to have caused obstructions in some people and as such is banned from sale in many countries.

Guarana speeds up the brain and is used in weight loss products as a diuretic and stimulant. The product contains around 5% caffeine and has been thought to cause high blood pressure, dizziness, nausea and anxiety.

Guar gum is used as a thickening agent and as such it gives a feeling of fullness when used as a weight loss aid. However it can lead to gastrointestinal obstruction due to its ability to swell up to 20 times.