If you're on the quest for the best natural appetite suppressant, you're not alone; a large percentage of dieters and our visitors have made it clear that such a supplement would be of great value to them.
That said, what are your options when it comes to natural appetite suppressants? As you'll see, there are plenty of supplements that are advertised as such, but relatively few that have a significant body of peer-reviewed, published clinical data behind them.
Let's take a look at some of the more commonly advertised appetite suppressants...
Description: A cactus native to South Africa, this protected species is "claimed" to be able to suppress the appetite thanks to the action of the novel P57 molecule.
Possible issues: Because hoodia is an endangered species that takes several years to grow to maturity, there is a great likelihood that the majority of hoodia products on the market don't contain any hoodia. According to Mike Adams of NewsTarget.com, up to 80% of the Hoodia sold on the market is counterfeit, with 60% of the products sold in the U.S. failing laboratory verification.
Study status: No peer-reviewed, published clinical data exists to demonstrate the appetite suppressing qualities of hoodia.
Interesting stuff: In December 2004, PhytoPharm teamed up with Unilever (who owns SlimFast, Knorr, and Hellman's, among other things), and committed to bringing the active P57 molecule to the market within 3 years.
At the end of 2008 (as announced in this document) Unilever terminated its relationship with PhytoPharm and the development of a hoodia-based weight loss product—making it even more difficult to believe that's there's any real merit to hoodia for weight loss.
Anecdotal reports: Some people report appetite suppression when using credible hoodia-based products. Our "in the trenches" product tester Amie experimented with hoodia and wrote about her experiences here! In short, she found that hoodia curbed her appetite significantly, but nevertheless, didn't end up losing weight.
Recommendation: Real, quality hoodia products (like the Hoodoba brand) are expensive and have little in the way of scientific evidence to validate their effectiveness. Is hoodia worth trying just to see?
It's a decision you have to make. It's certainly not your most cost effective option, and certainly not recommended if you're on a tight budget.
Description: Derived from citrus aurantium (also known as "bitter orange"), synephrine is a chemical "cousin" of ephedra. After the ephedra ban, it replaced the ephedra content of many popular weight loss supplements, on the assumption it would work in a similar manner.
Possible issues: Synephrine is often used in "stimulant free" weight loss formulas. This, despite evidence showing it is a stimulant, and does elevate both blood pressure and heart rate.
Study status: Clinical data shows synephrine demonstrates extremely modest benefits at best. One study concluded...
"There is little evidence that products containing C. aurantium are an effective aid to weight loss."Anecdotal reports: Some users find synephrine is a helpful appetite suppressant.
Recommendation: Not exactly a winner, but it is cheap (around $14 at BodyBuilding.com for 180 caps, or a 2 months supply) if you'd like to experiment with it as an appetite suppressant.
Description: The popular name for a small Brazilian tree, Cordia salicifolia. It is marketed as a weight loss supplement and as an appetite suppressant.
Possible issues: N/A
Study status: No peer-reviewed, published clinical data exists to demonstrate the fat burning or appetite suppressing qualities of Cha de Bugre.
Anecdotal reports: Some users, including our own scientific and technical advisor Elissa, have found Cha de Bugre to exhibit moderate appetite suppressing characteristics.
Recommendation: Not much science supporting it, but cheap enough to experiment with (as little as $10 at iHerb.com - use the coupon code FAT259 to get $5 off your first order).
Description: Occasionally labeled as "konjac" or "amorphophallus konjac", glucomannan is an un-absorbable polysaccharide that is derived from the konjac root. In short, it is a source of fiber. There are many glucomannan based products on the market, including PGX Daily and Lipozene.
Possible issues: Glucomannan pills can occasionally get stuck in the esophagus and cause a blockage. One study bears this out, indicating that glucomannan-based supplements can pose a hazard for individuals with a history of upper gastrointestinal pathology.
Study status: There is some clinical data to validate glucommanan's ability to increase satiety, lower LDL cholesterol, blood lipid levels and blood sugar levels (especially in diabetics) and help with weight loss. See the full glucomannan review for accompanying clinical references.
Anecdotal reports: Some users find glucommanan helps them feel full longer, and eat less at mealtimes.
Recommendation: Cheap and worth a try (a 180-capsule bottle is just under $10 at BodyBuilding.com). If the capsules are too big for you, break them open and sprinkle them over your food.
Description: Native to India, this plant's leaves have been used as a traditional natural remedy for diabetes. In weight loss products, it's used to inhibit the ability to taste sweetness as well as the intestinal absorption of glucose. It may also have an "anti-diabetic" effect. Not a "true" appetite suppressant, but may help in this manner, if it does suppress sweetness.
Possible issues: N/A
Study status: There is a small body of preliminary evidence indicating gymnema may indeed provide benefits for dieters. One problem though; the majority of studies showing the inhibition of the ability to taste sweet or bitter were performed primarily on rats and mice (for more accompanying study references, please see the glossary listing).
Anecdotal reports: We have received no anecdotal reports on gymnema.
Recommendation: Up to you if you'd like to experiment. A 6-week supply is pretty reasonably priced (about $14 at a reputable online retailer like BodyBuilding.com).
Description: An Indian cactus marketed as an appetite suppressant.
Possible issues: N/A
Study status: One study validates caralluma's weight loss and appetite suppressing benefits, although they are relatively modest.
Anecdotal reports: Customer testimonials and feedback on Dex-C20 (a caralluma-based supplement) and Slimaluma® (the patented version of caralluma) is mixed; some folks found it helpful for appetite suppression, others found it did nothing.
Recommendation: It's cheap enough to experiment with (under $15 for 60 caps) should you think it is warranted. Try Now brand's SlimaLuma Plus (which also contains green tea extract and yerba mate) for two weeks and see if it helps.
Description: A highly nutritious protein derived from milk, and used by bodybuilders for its anti-catabolic properties. Possible issues: Casein is potentially allergenic, although most milk allergies are formed during early childhood.Study status: Casein protein offers numerous documented benefits (see the full review for accompanying clinical references) but nothing has been documented pertaining to appetite suppression or satiety. Anecdotal reports: Because casein is a slow-digesting protein, some people find supplementing with a casein protein can help them feel full longer, thus reducing their appetite. Recommendation: If you're already using a protein supplement, it might be worthwhile to switch to a quality casein based product. For individuals not supplementing with a protein powder, and have no interest in doing so, perhaps one of the other options on this page would be a better choice. Palm/Oat Oil Blend (SlimShots)Description: A blend of oil derived from palm and oat sources, and served in small "shots" (the size of a disposable coffee creamer) retailers claim this special concoction can increase satiety and suppress appetite.Possible issues: N/AStudy status: Yes, there are several studies that indicate this oil blend is helpful for appetite suppression and satiety (see the SlimShots review for accompanying clinical references), although not all studies are positive. Interesting stuff: It's impossible to tell whether commercial palm/oat oil appetite suppressant products contain a potent enough dosage, or one that corresponds to the positive clinical studies referenced in the full SlimShots review. Anecdotal reports: Mixed, but more negative than positive. Some of our visitors have found this product helpful, others not. Click here to read user reviews and testimonials on SlimShots! Recommendation: Although some visitors have reported finding SlimShots and other similar products at bargain prices on occasion, they are generally a fairly expensive product. It's hard to make a recommendation when we're not convinced you'll receive much value for your dollar. Ultimately then, it's a decision you have to make. Description: More commonly known as "Korean Pine Nut Oil", Pinnothin is advertised as an appetite suppressant (it is thought to stimulate several appetite suppressing hormones—cholecystokinin and glucagon-like peptide 1). Possible issues: N/AStudy status: Very little published data exists for this ingredient, and what little there is (see Lipids Health Dis. 2008 Feb 28;7:6) demonstrated mediocre results at best. Our scientific and technical advisor Elissa summed it up best when she reported..."The results are pretty underwhelming—2 g of Pinnothin taken 30 min before a buffet lunch reduced food intake by 9% - by weight in grams - and energy intake by 7%. The latter figure averaged to a whopping 50 calories."Anecdotal reports: We have received no anecdotal reports on the appetite suppressing qualities of PinnoThin. Recommendation: There's no reason to recommend experimenting with PinnoThin at this time. Description: A supplement (called "sprinkles") that you "sprinkle" onto your meals, to increase satiety (the feeling of "fullness") and decrease appetite. Possible issues: Purchasing Sensa from the official web site may add you to a recurring billing program, especially if you "try it free" (click here to watch our video of the "free trial scam"). Study status: Much ado is made on the official Sensa web site about the "clinically proven" status of the Tastants products. There are all sorts of problems with this, the most obvious one being that this was an in-house study that has never been published in a peer-reviewed journal. Please see the full Sensa Tastants review for a complete discussion of this issue. Anecdotal reports: Mixed reviews on the products effectiveness, and plenty of billing issues. Recommendation: There's no reason to recommend experimenting with Sensa Tastants at this time. 
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