The problem with obesity is simple. People are eating too much and not getting enough exercise. But the solution is not so simple.

Fad diets have been the "go-to" answer for most. But the weight loss is almost always temporary. Now there's a much better option. It's a compound that's found naturally in your body. It's also available as a supplement. And it trains your brain to eat less.

Dr. Alessandro Laviano is Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at Sapienza University inRome, Italy. He's a world-renowned expert on how the body regulates food intake. And he's on the boards of several international peer-review journals. They include Nutrition, Current Nutrition and Food Science, and The Open Nutrition Journal.

Dr. Laviano recently did a study on this compound. The results appeared in the International Journal of Obesity.

Dr. Laviano and his team worked with 25 overweight diabetics who were not insulin dependent. Half of the patients took the compound orally. The others took a placebo. The patients were given no dietary restrictions.

The researchers followed all the patients for two weeks. And they observed a change in the way those who took the compound ate. They greatly reduced their calories and carbohydrate intake. (We've told you before that a diet high in carbohydrates, not fats, is the quick way to weight gain.)

These findings supported other studies that had been conducted at the university. In one, researchers looked at 19 obese women. Those who were given the compound ate less food and lost weight.

How Chicken, Fish, and Grass-Fed Beef Can Make You Thin

What is this compound? It's 5-HTP. In your body, it's derived from the amino acid tryptophan. And it is a precursor to serotonin. That's the brain chemical that regulates your craving for food. It makes you feel full.

You can get more tryptophan in your system by eating high-protein foods like chicken, fish, and grass-fed beef.  You can also get it by taking a 5-HTP supplement.  5-HTP occurs naturally in the seeds of an African plant, Griffonia simplicifolia. That's what the supplement comes from.

If you're struggling with your weight, this is a supplement worth looking into.

One caveat: Make sure you take a supplement for 5-HTP instead of a tryptophan supplement. That's because supplemental tryptophan has been linked to eosinophilic myalgia syndrome (EMS), a dangerous disorder.  The product I provide to my weight loss clients through www.PowerToBeWell.com is certified to be free of this.

5-HTP is safe if taken in low doses. The recommended dose is 50 mg 1 - 3 times a day.  The product I supply provides 75 mg. per capsule.  I recommend two capsules per day.