Looking at the clinical study of Slim Weight Patch

Garcinia Cambogia

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18084863

Subjects were given a 2,000 kcal diet/day, participated in a 30 min walking exercise program 5 days/week and given an oral dose of placebo or 4666.7 mg HCA-SX (providing 2,800 mg HCA) in three equally divided doses 30-60 mins before meals. Body weight, BMI, lipid profiles, serum leptin, serotonin and excretion of urinary fat metabolites were determined at 0, 4 and 8 weeks of treatment. At the end of 8 weeks, body weight and BMI decreased by 5.4% and 5.2% respectively.

Food intake, total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides and serum leptin levels were significantly reduced, while HDL, serotonin levels, and excretion of urinary fat metabolites (a biomarker of fat oxidation) significantly increased. No significant adverse effects were reported. These results demonstrate the safety, bio-availability and efficacy of HCA-SX in weight management.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17639559

During a 60 day treatment period, the average reduction in body weight for the group receiving the product with HCA (n = 30) was 4.67% compared with 0.63% for the placebo group (n = 28) (p < 0.0001). Weight losses of >or=3 kg were recorded for 23 subjects in the treatment group and only one in the placebo group. It is concluded that HCA represents a potential therapy for obesity.

Yerba Mate

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19444227

We found that obese mice treated with yerba mate exhibited marked attenuation of weight gain, adiposity, a decrease in epididymal fat-pad weight, and restoration of the serum levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and glucose. The gene and protein expression levels were directly regulated by the high-fat diet. After treatment with yerba mate extract, we observed a recovery of the expression levels. In conclusion, our data show that yerba mate extract has potent antiobesity activity in vivo.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19543216

These results suggest that MT could be a potentially therapeutic alternative in the treatment of obesity caused by a HFD.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11424516

The herbal preparation and YGD capsules significantly delayed gastric emptying, reduced the time to perceived gastric fullness and induced significant weight loss over 45 days in overweight patients treated in a primary health care context. Body weight reductions were 0.8 +/- 0.05 kg after YGD capsules compared to 0.3 +/- 0.03 kg after placebo capsules over 10 days, and 5.1 +/- 0.5 kg after PGD capsules compared to 0.3 +/- 0.08 kg after placebo over 45 days.

Guarana

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11424516

The herbal preparation, YGD capsules, significantly delayed gastric emptying, reduced the time to perceived gastric fullness and induced significant weight loss over 45 days in overweight patients treated in a primary healthcare context. Body weight reductions were 0.8 +/- 0.05 kg after YGD capsules, compared to 0.3 +/- 0.03 kg after placebo capsules over 10 days, and 5.1 +/- 0.5 kg after PGD capsules compared to 0.3 +/- 0.08 kg after placebo over 45 days.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11319627

Sixty-seven subjects were randomized to either placebo (n=32) or active Ma Huang/Guarana (n=35). Twenty four subjects in each group completed the study. Active treatment produced significantly (P<0.006) greater loss of weight (X+/-s.d.,-4.0+/-3.4 kg) and fat (-2.1+/-3.0% fat) over the 8 week treatment period than did placebo (-0.8+/-2.4 kg and 0.2+/-2.3% fat).

DHEA

Dr. Terrence T. Yen studied the effects of DHEA on genetically obese mice. Although the DHEA-treated mice ate normally, they remained thin — and they lived longer than the control mice. This "leanness" effect was also conspicuously noted by Dr. Schwartz. In another experiment, Dr. M. P. Cleary found that even middle-aged obese rats lost weight when fed DHEA-supplemented food. Diabetes, a typical complication of obesity, was also dramatically decreased.

5 HTP

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study by researchers at the University of Rome, evaluated the effects of 300mg of 5-HTP, three times daily on 20 obese female patients. During the first of 2 six week periods, the patients took either 5-HTP or a placebo and had no dietary restrictions. In the second six week period, the patients were placed on a 1200-calorie per day diet and took either 5-HTP or the placebo.

After 12 weeks, the 5-HTP group had lost an average of 11.63 pounds, while the placebo group had lost only 1.87 pounds. During the first six week period early satiety was reported by 100% of the participants and by 90% of the participants on 5-HTP during the second six-week period.

Although those in the placebo group didn't show a significant change in their calorie intake (including when they were actually instructed to diet), the 5-HTP group reduced their calorie intake during the first period, from 3220 calories daily to 1879 calories daily. Their carbohydrate intake fell by 50 percent.

The calorie intake of the 5-HTP group decreased further, to 1268 calories daily during the second period. This supports the theory that 5-HTP decreases carbohydrate cravings and binge eating. In yet another study, 25 overweight NIDDM (Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus or Type II Diabetes, often associated with weight problems) were given 750 mg daily of 5-HTP. Patients experienced a significant reduction in daily energy intake, from fat and carbohydrate, and body weight.

"5-HTP is well absorbed from an oral dose, with about 70 percent ending up in the bloodstream. It easily crosses the blood-brain barrier and effectively increases central nervous system (CNS) synthesis of serotonin.

In the CNS, serotonin levels have been implicated in the regulation of sleep, depression, anxiety, aggression, appetite, temperature, sexual behavior, and pain sensation. Therapeutic administration of 5-HTP has been shown to be effective in treating a wide variety of conditions, including depression, fibromyalgia, insomnia, binge eating associated with obesity, chronic headaches, and insomnia."

5-Hydroxytryptophan: A Clinically Effective Serotonin Precursor - Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials
Timothy C. Birdsall, N.D. Thorne Research Alternative Med. Rev. 1998; V3,N4: 271-280

Four small double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials examined whether 5-HTP can aid weight loss. The first, a double-blind crossover study, found that use of 5-HTP (at a daily dose of 8mg per kilogram body weight) reduced caloric intake despite the fact that the 19 participants made no conscious effort to eat less.

Participants given placebo consumed about 2300 calories per day, while those taking 5-HTP ate only 1800 calories daily. Use of 5-HTP appeared to lead to a significantly enhanced sense of satiety after eating. Over the course of 5 weeks, women taking 5-HTP effortlessly lost more than 3 pounds.

A follow-up study by the same research group enrolled 20 overweight women who were trying to lose weight. Participants received either 5-HTP (900mg per day) or placebo for two consecutive 6 week periods. During the first period, there was no dietary restriction, while during the second period participants were encouraged to follow a defined diet expected to lead to weight loss.

Participants receiving placebo did not lose weight during either period. However, those receiving 5-HTP lost about 2 percent of their initial body weight during the no-diet period and an additional 3% while on the diet. Thus, a woman with an initial weight of 170lbs lost about 3-1/2 pounds after 6 weeks of using 5-HTP without dieting and another 5 pounds while dieting. Once again, participants taking 5-HTP experienced quicker satiety.

Finally, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 20 overweight individuals with adult-onset diabetes found that use of 5-HTP (750mg per day) without intentional dieting resulted in about a 4-1/2 pound weight loss over a 2 week period. 4 Use of 5-HTP reduced carbohydrate intake by 75 percent and fat intake to a lesser extent.

Ceci F, Cangiano C, Cairella M, et al. The effects of oral 5-hydroxytryptophan administration on feeding behavior in obese adult female subjects. J Neural Transm. 1989;76:109-117.
Cangiano C, Ceci F, Cascino A, et al. Eating behavior and adherence to dietary prescriptions in obese adult subjects treated with 5-hydroxytryptophan. Am J Clin Nutr. 1992;56:863-867.
Cangiano C, Ceci F, Cairella M, et al. Effects of 5-Hydroxytryptophan on eating behavior and adherence to dietary prescriptions in obese adult subjects. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1991;294:591-593.
Cangiano C, Laviano A, Del Ben M, et al. Effects of oral 5-hydroxy-tryptophan on energy intake and macronutrient selection in non-insulin dependent diabetic patients. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1998;22:648-654.

Just to show you how powerful and beneficial 5-HTP really is, here is a list of trials regarding its anti-depressive properties. Obviously if you are trying to lose weight while suffering from depression you know how difficult it can be:

In 1972, Sano conducted the first large clinical trial using 5-HTP in the treatment of depression. 107 patients with unipolar or bipolar depression received daily oral dosages of 5-HTP from 50 to 300mg. A large improvement was observed in 74 of the patients (69%), without significant side effects. The response rate in most of these patients was less than two weeks.
Another study of 59 patients with eight different types of depression aimed to test the speed of response. Oral dosages from 150 to 300mg of 5-HTP were administered daily, for a period of three weeks. Thirteen patients (22%) were markedly improved, and another 27 patients (45.8%) showed moderate improvement. Of the 40 patients who improved, 20 (50%) started to show improvement in only three days. Within two weeks of beginning treatment with 5-HTP, 32 patients (80%) improved.
Japanese researchers administered 5-HTP to 24 patients hospitalized for depression. After two weeks of treatment, a "marked amelioration (improvement) of depressive symptoms" was observed in seven patients diagnosed with unipolar depression. The administration of 5-HTP was also associated with a 30 percent increase in the levels of 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid, the primary metabolite of serotonin, in the patients' cerebrospinal fluid. This suggested the exogenous (supplemental) 5-HTP) was being converted to serotonin within the central nervous system.
A study conducted by Nakajima T, et. al tested the effectiveness of 5-hydroxy-L-trytophan as an antidepressant drug. Fifty nine patients with depressive symptoms (using the Rating Scale for Depression made by Clinico-Psychopharmacology Research Group in Japan) participated in this double-blind clinical study. A daily dose of 150-300mg of 5-hydroxyl-L-tryptophan was administered for three weeks. Favorable responses were observed in 40 patients (67.8%), of whom 13 patients were markedly improved. These effects were noticed in 80 percent of the improved patients within a week of the treatment.
36 subjects who were diagnosed with some form of depression, took part in a 1991 double-blind, multi-center study to compare the effects of 5-HTP with that of SSRI treatments. The subjects received either 100mg of 5-HTP or 150mg of fluvoxamine (an SSRI) three times per day. The subjects were evaluated using four standard evaluation tools at regular intervals. Beginning at week two and continuing through week six, both groups showed significant and almost equal reductions in their depression. At the end of the study, the researchers found:

The percentage of improvement was slightly greater for patients treated with 5-HTP. The number of treatment failures was higher in the fluvoxamine group (17%) than in the 5-HTP group (6%). Side effects were found to be rare and generally mild, occurring during the first few days of treatment and then disappearing.

Overall, 5-HTP appeared to be slightly better tolerated than fluvoxamine. Tolerance was assessed as being "good to very good" in 34 out of the 36 patients receiving 5-HTP (94.5%), compared to 28 out of the 33 patients in the fluvoxamine group (84.8%).

Poldinger W, et al. A functional-dimensional approach to depression: serotonin deficiency as a target syndrome in a comparison of 5-hydroxytryptophan and fluvoxamine. Psychopathology 1991;24:53-81.
Zmilacher K, et al. L-5-hydroxytryptophan alone and in combination with a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor in the treatment of depression. Neuropsychobiology 1988;20:28-35.
van Praag H. Management of depression with serotonin precursors. Biol Psychiatry 1981;16:291-310.
Byerley W, et al. 5-hydroxytryptophan: a review of its antidepressant efficacy and adverse effects. J Clin Psychopharmacol 1987;7:127.
Physician's Desk Reference. 49th ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Data Production Company; 1995.
Caruso I, et al. Double-blind study of 5-hydroxytryptophan versus placebo in the treatment of primary fibromyalgia syndrome. J Int Med Res 1990;18:201-9.
Cangiano C, et al. Eating behavior and adherence to dietary prescriptions in obese adult subjects treated with 5-hydroxytryptophan. Am J Clin Nutr 1992;56:863-7.
Maissen CP, et al. Comparison of the effect of 5-hydroxytryptophan and propranolol in the interval treatment of migraine. Schweiz Med Wochenschr 1991;121:1585-9.