Warren,

As P. T. Barnum is mistakenly alleged to have said, "There is a sucker born every minute." Unfortunately, many people (including me, at one time) fall victim to quick weight loss schemes that defy the simple truth that, if you burn more calories than you consume, you will inevitably loose weight (unless you have a health condition that prevents this).

That is the truest statement I know Eric. Unless you have something that prevents this.

The problem is that many people at least in the United States do have insufficiencies in neurotransmitters, or other chemical issues which prevent this from being totally accurate and therefore need to supplement what they do.

I have been in the healthcare industry for 13 years as a sports injury and performance enhancement therapist.

During that time and probably the very reason I got into the industry was to give me an excuse to try and discover the causes for ALL physical unbalances, because I have a brain tumor in my pituitary gland that wreaks havoc on every functioning hormone and chemical in my body. Traditional methods of weight loss according to my Endocrinologist, who is a renowned Dr would not help, and I would gain weight until I die unless on a 500 calorie diet with many drugs and most likely the requirement for gastric bypass...

I work out all the time and never have been a modern day eater or drinker. I dont drink regularly or eat fast food or fry all my food. I cook at home and eat healthy. Yet I was close to 319 lbs at my top weight and am only 5 foot 8 inches.

I recently began studying about amino acids, neurotransmitters, and precursor hormones like pregnenolone. Going through this site and researching the neuro line of products as well as Total Balance...

There are so many factors that have nothing to do with the simple equation of calories intake vs calories burn when it comes to the chemistry of the body.

In my humble opinion, not to counter Warren's statement, but more than anything to promote the quality of good research and product formulation that Extend-Life does create, the very first thing to creating good health has not so much to do with simple lifestyle change, but with brain chemistry change. Balancing the functions of your chemistry, (again in my opinion and experience) will make poor lifestyle choices almost detestable to you, while a UN balanced functioning chemistry makes lifestyle changes almost impossible and not sustainable in the long run.

In my case, when my body and chemistry crashes, I am out for the count. Lethargic, depressed, joint pain, overwhelmed, anxious, sometimes even agoraphobic etc. It becomes like trying to pull a 18 ton truck with a single strand of hair to just get up and eat or exercise or anything... However when I have balanced energy balanced chemistry, it is almost impossible to sit on a couch or stay in bed and do nothing. I am compelled to get up get out move around and be productive.

To go along with all of this is how our individual bodies process nutrients enzymes amino acids etc. How our insulin processes sugars into fats and all these are highly contributing factors to weight loss, and leading a healthy lifestyle.

Long drawn out response, and I totally understand I may have gotten off subject slightly for a little bit, but I do get upset when I see generalizations and simplifications of a very complex system. It tends to make the person in pain and in UNHEALTH wrong, when the potential is very very possibly that those people are not wrong in what they are doing, but haven't the knowledge or advice of medical providers in areas like neurology to successfully treat a condition.

Behavioral Changes vs Chemical Changes... Chicken vs Egg...

What comes first...

Ari G.

I have recently heard of a product called Naltrexone. It is FDA approved for narcotic addiction/alcoholism in a 50 mg dosage.

However low dose naltrexone ( LDN ) is now being trumpeted as a possible cure/preventive for many conditions ie: MS,cancer. It works by increasing endorphins from the brain, that work with the cells in the body.

Saw nothing to indicate weight loss being claimed, but it stands to reason in some repects. You might inquire at

Google......lowdosenaltrexone.

Warren...have you heard of this treatment?

Thank you. Harry

Hi Ari and Harry,

You raise some excellent points Ari. If things are out of balance, hormonal and with your neurotransmitters it makes many of the actions needed for the overall health of your body very difficult to carry out.

Prof.Dr. A Munem Daoud who is our chief researcher always maintains that everything starts with the brain. This requires that everyone should do everything possible to ensure the best possible functioning of the brain. It is for this reason that we include nutrients for the brain and the nervous system within Total Balance.

Harry, I am not familiar with the drug that you mentioned. Sorry.