BOSTON, July 24 /EMWNews/ -- Health and nutrition researcher Frank

Ervolino, ND, investigated a product that claims success in suppressing

appetite without the risks associated with stimulants. He reports that

Appetite Down (http://www.appetitedown.com), a natural product from Zurich

Pharmaceuticals, makes novel use of an established ingredient with

promising results.



    Consumers will take drastic measures to lose weight. In fact, in the

U.S., where the CDC estimates that greater than 30% of adults are obese,

consumers spend up to $50 billion a year to combat fat. That includes an

estimated $5 billion spent in weight loss and appetite suppression

supplements and 200,000 bariatric -- or weight loss -- surgeries in 2007.



    Nowhere are there more promises -- and questionable results -- than in

the supplement market.



    A "Who's Who" of health organizations caution against weight loss and

appetite suppression products. Harvard Medical School, the Mayo Clinic, and

Consumer Reports all have lists of ingredients that don't work or are

potentially harmful.



    Even when safe, there are factors that cause concern about appetite

control products. Thermogenic ingredients, like caffeine, are powerful

stimulants that can be highly addictive. And non-thermogenic remedies can

require daily doses of as much as 3 grams to be effective.



    Ervolino has watched patients grapple with a common enemy -- the urge

to eat. Appetite Down is an all-natural appetite suppression lozenge that

uses Gymnema sylvestre in a proprietary formulation to curb hunger

cravings. It's also caffeine-free and ephedrine-free.



    Gymnema has been used as a natural remedy for blood sugar regulation

for centuries. A 2003 Harvard Medical School meta-analysis reviewed over

100 clinical trials involving over 4,500 patients with diabetes or impaired

glucose tolerance. It concluded that Gymnema sylvestre was safe and

demonstrated "positive preliminary results."



    Ervolino was impressed by another feature of Gymnema sylvestre.

Research indicates that delivering gymnemic acid in a slow-dissolving

lozenge can block the sense of sweetness and discourage appetite for up to

2 hours. Appetite Down does this in a slow-release lozenge that uses

high-impact sweeteners to mask Gymnema's natural bitterness.



    Diet management and weight loss in the U.S. are urgent and serious

matters. Ervolino's research suggests that stimulant-free, non-addictive

natural products like Appetite Down may provide a useful aid in the battle

against obesity.



    Appetite Down is a new product, and has not yet been tested in a

clinical setting, but its potential is promising, Ervolino concludes.