Response from Mr. Vergel
Hydroxycut is a popular supplement used for weight loss. The manufacturer claims that it contains green tea extract, and extracts from two plants : Gymnema Sylvestre and Garcinia cambogia. There is some conficting data that shows that green tea (like caffeine) can increase body temperature and fat loss. The two plants listed have some anecdotal evidence in glycemic control and appetite suppression.
Some people complain of accelerated heart beat, increased blood pressure, anxiety, difficulty trying to fall asleep and mood swings on the product. Lack of appetite is one of the side effects, but I guess that is what you want if you want to lose weight.
Unfortunately, like it is the case with most supplements out in the market, there are no data about interactions of these ingredients and HIV medications, so we are all taking a chance when we use them.
Talk to your doctor about this. Hydroxycut is rapidly becoming one of the most heavily marketed products out there. With HIV-related fat gain, we certainly could use a good option that does not interfere with our meds and viral load control.
Of course, there are ways to lose fat without taking supplements like this. Stopping all consumption of sweets and eating more vegetables, lean meats, nuts, and fiber, plus exercising til you sweat for at least 20 minutes a day could do the trick. A small study showed that people who use a pedometer to ensure that they took at least 10,000 steps a day lost more weight than those who did not measure their steps. I think that we always tend to improve in areas that we measure in our lives!
Let us know if you decide to use the product and what your experience is after a few weeks. I hope you do not get the side effects I mentioned.
Nelson
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