Amidst a sea of controversy, ephedra-based dietary supplements were banned back in 2005. Ephedra was such a phenomenon because it was natural and herbal, you did not need a prescription to get it, and it worked by sharply stimulating the metabolism to burn fat while dramatically suppressing hunger and appetite. Through landslide support signaled by billions upon billions of dollars worth of purchases of products over decades like Metabolife 356, Ripped Fuel, Xenadrine RFA-1, and Hydroxycut, the public had tried ephedra and, through overwhelming consensus proven by the popularity, decided that ephedra was absolutely phenomenal for extreme and immediate weight-loss results.
Yet despite the addition of over 150 studies supporting the safety and efficacy of ephedra-based products, the government and the pharmaceutical industry pushed forward with their agenda to get ephedra out of the hands of the public. Having such a popular supplement that far outsold anything the drug companies had and was not under the control of the government was something they were not going to stand for. Their lawyers cited supposed deaths and injuries, none of which in the end, when carefully considered, truly had a clean and ironclad story of cause-and-effect. But they got their way. Through lawsuits, litigation, and regulations, they got ephedra banned forever from the hands of the public.
Today, ephedra does not exist anymore for weight loss. By their design, only the pharmaceutical companies versions (non-herbal synthetic forms of pure “amphetamine”) are allowed to be dispensed, but even then, only with a prescription. Of course, it’s not the same as natural ephedra, so it comes as no surprise that they never came close in popularity to the original. In truth, although herbal ephedra was proven to be safe and effective when taken as directed (and by individuals appropriately prescribed it), ephedra was not without its problems. For one, it was most certainly a natural version of a “speed” stimulant. So while the fat-burning and weight-loss numbers were impressive and incontrovertible for so many, there were some people who either couldn’t handle or simply didn’t want the “speedy” feeling.
Either way, since the ban, consumers have been at a grave loss when it comes to an effective replacement to help with extreme fat burning. The pharmaceutical industry’s unnatural weight-loss drugs seemed to pale in comparison and never have captured consumer confidence. People remember and know the difference. Consumers are still waiting. They are still looking for the same magic that they had with ephedra, but without any drawbacks— a safe, natural alternative to ephedra, with all the bang, that you can purchase the same way, without a prescription, and that can give you the same or even better immediate results—extreme fat loss and a powerful sense of energy.
Medical science needed time to catch up, so most of the products out there since the ban have been less than effective. But a beacon of hope has always remained, as the physician weight-loss experts who brought us some of the most successful dietary supplement products of our time continued to toil. Now, with the coming of citidrene, a new excitement is brewing. Citidrene is a natural, non-pharmaceutical appetite suppressor with metabolic-supporting properties, yet, this time, without excessive speedlike effects. As with ephedra before 2005, you currently do not need a doctor’s prescription to obtain citidrene. The huge advancement over the old ephedra-containing products is that citidrene does not contain the combination of ingredients that may have caused jitters, nervousness, and/or elevated heart rate in some people.
Citidrene appears to exert its effects on the body in a very unique and somewhat unexpected way. To understand how it works, one must first understand that the things that make a person fat are not as simple as eating too much junk food and not exercising enough. If that were it, we’d have it figured out by now. The latest research is now shedding light on the fact that what leads to uncontrolled appetite and fat gain around the waist and thighs may have less to do with the junk food you are eating—and how many times you’ve been to the gym this week—and more to do with what scientists are calling the brain’s “neurocognitive system” or NCS. This NCS system is involved in regulating appetite and food intake by how your own body interprets and responds to food. Shedding light on this previously mysterious system has ushered in this new category of ultra-powerful NCS-supporting weight-loss products. Researchers have already identified the hypothalamic hormones leptin and ghrelin and how they reduce appetite by affecting dopamine, which can powerfully reduce the motivation to eat. Simply stated, citidrene works by naturally supporting the NCS system at the microcellular level, so food intake can be regulated while activating cellular metabolism.
Scientific research has shown that the citicoline in citidrene has a variety of brain-enhancing properties. Primarily, we know that it works by naturally increasing dopamine levels. Dopamine is a key neurotransmitter that governs what is called reward-motivated behavior. Drugs like amphetamine and cocaine hook the abuser in because they trigger an increase in brain dopamine levels. As a result, the abuser feels compelled to come back for more of that feeling of satisfaction as well. So it becomes a compounded problem when a drug produces a high and also boosts dopamine. That’s when you have an addict. Unfortunately the same can happen with food because food can be so enjoyable, and even euphoric at times.
But if one can provide the dopamine stimulation without the stimulation or high of a drug or the euphoria brought on by overconsumption of food, then the addiction can be avoided. It works much in the same way as the satisfaction it creates in cocaine addicts, helping to curb their penchant for the drug. The clinical research shows this, as in cocaine-addicted individuals, citicoline increased brain dopamine levels and thus reduced drug cravings in these comparatively extreme cases. In the same way, it will help nurture a natural feeling of satiety, thus taking the edge of the compunction to overeat.
Specific third-party clinical research on citicoline abounds. As the research results continue to come in, one preliminary study demonstrated that it significantly reduced appetite while increasing brain function in study subjects. The study looked at subjects taking 2000mg per day for six weeks. Changes in appetite ratings, weight, and brain response to images of high-calorie foods using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) were measured. After six weeks, significant declines in appetite ratings were observed. The higher dose group also showed significant increases in functional brain responses to food stimuli. Increased activation in these regions correlated with declines in appetite ratings.
Surprising to many experiencing the lift provided, the truth is that it contains absolutely no amphetamine or ephedra. So there’s no overamped feeling followed by a hard crash. Perhaps even more provocative to some is that citidrene currently has escaped banning on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) or International Olympic Committee (IOC) lists of banned substances, to which most mainstream professional sports organizations comply. As a result, citidrene is not currently banned by any major sports organization including but not limited to NCAA, MLB, NFL, NBA, or NHL.
While its use continues to spread, whether citidrene ever reaches the vast market popularity of ephedra remains to be seen. Of course there’s always the concern that it might draw the ire of the pharmaceutical companies and government regulators. If that’s the case, all bets are of. But for now, citidrene remains in our arsenal. – FLEX
