The principles and methods of weight loss using traditional Chinese medicine preparations and topical medications

Traditional Chinese medicine for preventing and treating obesity

With the increasing number of obese patients, researchers of traditional Chinese medicine have been exploring and studying the treasure trove of traditional Chinese medicine, developing a number of convenient-to-take and low-side-effect traditional Chinese medicine preparations. A selection is introduced below.

Fangfeng Tongsheng Pills (Powder)

Composition: Processed and refined from traditional Chinese medicines including Saposhnikovia divaricata, Schizonepeta tenuifolia, Mentha haplocalyx, Forsythia suspensa, Platycodon grandiflorus, Ligusticum chuanxiong, Angelica sinensis, and Paeonia lactiflora. Efficacy: Relieves exterior symptoms, clears interior heat, dispels wind. Dosage: 6 grams (2 packets) twice daily, orally. Indications: Suitable for obese patients with excessive subcutaneous fat in the abdomen and distension around the navel; more effective for those with frequent constipation. Example: A male patient with edema-like obesity took this medicine for 2 months, 5 grams twice daily. After 2 months, his chest circumference decreased from 120 cm to 97 cm, his abdominal circumference from 130 cm to 103 cm, and his weight from 72.5 kg to 70.5 kg.

Slimming Beauty

Developed and produced by the Fourth Military Medical University. Composition: Refined from nine traditional Chinese medicines including Bupleurum chinense. Efficacy: Soothes the liver and relieves depression, strengthens the spleen and replenishes qi, promotes diuresis and eliminates dampness, and promotes metabolism. Usage: Adults take 4-8 tablets orally each time, 3 times a day. Indications: Suitable for simple obesity, with better efficacy for those with simple obesity and concurrent hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Case Study: The Fourth Military Medical University clinically treated 216 cases, with an effective rate of 89.81%.

Weight Loss and Lipid Reduction Elixir

Developed by Tonghua Baishan Pharmaceutical Factory No. 2, Jilin Province. Composition: Pure Chinese herbal extracts; prescription unknown. Efficacy: Promotes fat metabolism and lowers blood lipids. Usage: Take 4 capsules twice daily before meals, followed by 1-2 cups of tea. One month constitutes one course of treatment. Suitable for: Simple obesity; particularly effective for obesity caused by metabolic decline in middle-aged individuals and for young people with nutritional excess.

Weight loss and lipid-lowering tablets

Developed by Shanghai Changzheng Hospital. Composition: Processed from traditional Chinese medicines such as Atractylodes lancea, lotus leaf, and rhubarb. Efficacy: Relieves indigestion, reduces fat and promotes weight loss, enhances metabolism, and strengthens the body. Usage: Take 4-6 tablets orally 3 times a day, half an hour before meals. A course of treatment is 2-3 months. Indications: Suitable for simple obesity accompanied by hyperlipidemia. Especially effective for obese patients diagnosed by traditional Chinese medicine as having spleen deficiency and dampness obstruction or stomach heat and dampness obstruction. Example: Ms. Shen, a 38-year-old female factory worker in Shanghai, was treated with this medicine starting November 7, 1990, taking 6 tablets 3 times a day. After 3 months, her weight decreased from 100 kg to 95 kg; after 6 months, it decreased to 88 kg. Since 1986, this medicine has been used to treat thousands of obese patients, with an average weight loss of 4.5 kg after 3 months of treatment.

Slimming and fat-reducing tablets

Developed by the Beijing Military General Hospital and Anhui Hefei Traditional Chinese Medicine Factory. Composition: Refined from 16 traditional Chinese medicines including Polygonum multiflorum, Prunella vulgaris, and winter melon peel. Efficacy: Nourishes Yin and clears heat, tonifies the liver and kidneys, clears heat and promotes diuresis, moistens the intestines and promotes bowel movements, and reduces obesity. Usage: 25 grams twice daily, before breakfast and before bedtime, dissolved in 200 ml of warm water. Suitable for: Simple obesity caused by stomach heat. Case Study: Clinical treatment at the Beijing Military General Hospital of 231 cases showed an effective rate of 94.81%, with significant reductions in patients' weight, body fat percentage, cholesterol, and triglycerides.

A popular and effective remedy for weight loss – topical medication

Topical weight loss medication involves applying medication to the skin of obese individuals using specific techniques. This reduces the fat content in the local tissues, thus achieving weight loss. Topical weight loss is one of many methods available, and its convenience, painlessness, and significant effectiveness make it popular among obese individuals.

Topical medications can be categorized into creams, oils, and solutions based on their solvents. Creams use water and oil as solvents, resulting in good absorption and no skin irritation. Oils have strong permeability and solubility, allowing for absorption by the skin. Solution-based medications are convenient to use. To help readers gain a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the principles and methods of using topical weight-loss medications, each will be described below.

Why can topical medications help with weight loss?

From a medical perspective, obesity is mainly caused by excessive accumulation of body fat. Fat is stored in subcutaneous tissue, especially in the greater omentum, abdominal wall, thighs, and buttocks. Simple obesity is primarily caused by calorie intake far exceeding calorie expenditure, leading to the gradual accumulation of fat. Topical medications are particularly effective for weight loss in simple obesity.

In long-term medical practice, modern scientific pharmaceutical methods have been applied to extract effective ingredients from various traditional Chinese medicines and formulate them into medications for weight loss treatment. These medications can directly promote the shrinkage or disappearance of human fat cells. Human skin is not absolutely impermeable; normal skin can absorb certain substances. Skin absorption occurs through two pathways: one is the epidermal pathway, mainly through cell osmosis, with some also entering the dermis through the intercellular spaces of the epidermis; the other is absorption through skin appendages (composed of sebaceous glands and hair follicles). Medical practice has proven that topical weight loss medications formulated from effective ingredients extracted from traditional Chinese medicines are generally absorbed by the skin. So how do these effective ingredients work after absorption? Experiments further show that under normal circumstances, people can break down stored fat and convert it into energy; this process is called fat mobilization. Fat mobilization involves breaking down most of the triglycerides in fat cells into fatty acids and glycerol, allowing them to leave the fat cells. Then, through a series of special decomposition pathways, the substances converted into energy, water, and carbon dioxide are consumed. As triglycerides in adipose tissue decrease, their volume and quantity also decrease, resulting in a thinning of the subcutaneous fat layer. Topical medications utilize the body's own fat-burning mechanism to promote and accelerate fat mobilization, thereby achieving weight loss.

Selection and use of topical medications

How to Choose Topical Medications: There are many types of topical medications, such as various slimming creams, slimming lotions, weight loss creams, and weight loss serums. How to choose the right topical weight loss medication?

1. Patients must understand that topical weight-loss medications are only suitable for treating simple obesity. Simple obesity presents in two different ways: one is generalized obesity, and the other is subcutaneous fat accumulation in the abdomen, buttocks, and thighs. For the former, topical medications alone are ineffective; they must be combined with diet therapy and exercise to achieve the desired weight loss. For the latter, topical medications are more effective, and when used properly, can achieve satisfactory weight loss results in a short period.

2. Since creams and ointments can increase skin absorption and promote the penetration of drugs into the skin, topical medications in cream or ointment form are more effective.

3. Patients must consult a doctor before using any medication to rule out the possibility of pathological obesity and to understand the effects and efficacy of the topical weight-loss drug, as well as whether it has been approved by relevant national authorities. In short, when choosing topical medications, do not focus on one aspect while neglecting another, and do not blindly purchase topical weight-loss drugs that are not approved by the state, so as not to affect your health.

Correct use of topical weight loss medications

The correct use of topical weight-loss medications directly affects their therapeutic effect. So how should topical medications be used correctly?

First, you must use the correct massage techniques and have enough massage time.

Whether it's a liquid, cream, or oil-based medication, proper massage with external force is essential for the medication to be effective. Correct massage techniques and sufficient massage time ensure the medication is evenly applied to the skin surface, increasing the absorption area. More importantly, it significantly raises the local skin temperature, dilates capillaries, and enhances microcirculation, thereby increasing the skin's absorption capacity and accelerating local tissue metabolism. This allows the medication to exert its maximum effect.

It is best to have a professional perform the massage, or it can be done by a family member or relative. The patient should lie flat with all muscles relaxed. The masseur's technique should be even and consistent, moving in the same direction, and applying a certain amount of external force. The massage should continue until the patient feels a burning sensation on the local skin, and the medication is completely absorbed.

Of course, sufficient massage time is essential for the medication to achieve its maximum effect. Clinical observations have shown that in most cases of obesity with unsatisfactory results, the medication's effectiveness is affected by insufficient massage time. For topical medications to fully penetrate the adipose tissue layer, each area of ​​the obese person must be massaged for 15-30 minutes. If patients find this troublesome and simply rub the topical medication haphazardly into the affected area, they will never achieve weight loss.

Secondly, regular treatment is crucial: to achieve satisfactory results, treatment must be regular. Only through continuous and regular treatment can the breakdown of fat in the body exceed the storage of fat, thus reducing adipose tissue. Without regular treatment, satisfactory results are impossible.

Usage: Generally, a course of treatment is 10-15 days, 2-3 times a day. It is best to treat at a fixed time for better weight loss results.

Precautions for using topical medications

1. Topical weight-loss medications are only an adjunct to the treatment of obesity. Weight loss cannot be achieved solely through topical medications; a comprehensive treatment approach is necessary. Comprehensive treatment involves considering various factors related to the body's fat metabolism and employing multiple pathways and measures to ensure that the body's fat consumption exceeds fat storage. Therefore, when using topical weight-loss medications, it is particularly important to supplement them with dietary therapy and appropriate physical exercise to increase the body's calorie expenditure and achieve weight loss.

2. Patients should massage the affected area with a massager before and after using the medication to enhance its effectiveness. Additionally, local heating is another way to improve the efficacy of topical weight-loss medications. Applying infrared therapy or a hot compress to the affected skin for 15 minutes before and after medication will further improve the results.

3. Prevent side effects. Mild diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, and abdominal pain are normal and should not be a cause for concern. These symptoms will subside on their own after a period of adjustment.

4. When using topical weight-loss medications to treat obesity, do not stop using them immediately just because the effects are noticeable. Do not abandon dietary restrictions or reduce physical activity, as this may undo all the previous efforts. Therefore, patients must continue using topical weight-loss medications for a period of time and adhere to dietary therapy and physical exercise to achieve better results.