The Sensa Sprinkle Diet is a new product recently launched on July 28, 2008 by Dr. Alan Hirsch, a Board-certified neurologist and psychiatrist and author of dozens of clinical studies who has appeared on Dateline NBC. He is also the director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago.

How the Sensa Sprinkle Diet Works

Curbing your hunger is the key to healthy eating habit. The concept behind the Sensa Sprinkle diet is to sprinkle what the diet calls "Sensa Tastants" on your healthy foods so that the scents from the "Sensa Tastants" travel through your nose to nerve receptors and send signals to the brain that stimulate the olfactory bulb which in turn will then signal the satiety center in the hypothalamus which sends signals to the pituitary gland that triggers the release of hormones(e.g., leptin, obestatin, etc.) that suppress hunger and appetite. 

Scientific Studies Regarding the Sensa Sprinkle Diet

The research was performed by a neurologist who was intrigued by the fact that people who lose their sense of smell and taste from severe head injuries often gain weight rapidly.

The study culminated approximately 25 years of research according to Hirsch. In the study 1,436 overweight or obese men were asked to sprinkle the tastants on all their food for six months but not to otherwise alter their diet or exercise habits. At the end of six months, those who had stuck with the tastants lost an average of 30.5 pounds or about 15% of their body weight. A control group of 100 people who used non-flavored crystals that looked like tastants lost an average of 2 pounds over six months.

Authors note: Care should be taken when reaching a conclusion rearding this study, since the study is just one study, and the study was managed by the creator of the Sensa Sprinkle Product, Dr. Hirsch. In my opinion, more studies, expecially independent studys need to be perfomed to validate the information being presented from this single study. 

Putting the Sensa Sprinkle Diet to Work

All you have to do is sprinkles the Sensa Tastents on foods that you eat. There are two flavors available: sweet and salty. These sprinkles send signals to your brain that you have eaten more than you have. In other words, the sprinkles work as natural appetite suppressant like Hoodia. As a result, you will be eating a lot less and result in weight loss. 

What Food is Allowed in the Sensa Sprinkle Diet Plan

 According to Dr. Hirsch you do not need to change your lifestyle, and should still lose weight. However, it is recommended that you use Sensa Sprinkle in conjunction with healthy meals and exercise regime. 

Advantages of the Sensa Sprinkle Diet

The major advantage for Sensa Sprinkle diet is convenience. You do not have to buy specal food, weigh your food or calorie count.

Disadvantages of the Sensa Sprinkle Diet

The major disadvantage for Sensa Sprinkle diet is the price. The price is approximately $59, for about amonths supplly for the sprinkles (two 0.70 ounce containers).  At that price the sprinkles are more expensive than gold by weight! I must add though with your purchase you do receive a how-to guide with usage instructions and tips for best results and a "Getting Started DVD " featuring in-depth product demonstrations, answers to commonly asked questions, and an interview with Sensa creator Dr. Alan Hirsch. A 6 month supply can be purchased for $$210 plus shipping. The site claims that that price is a 41% price reduction, as the 6 month packages retails for $354 ($59 per month average).

Another disadvantage is that it lacks real guidance for those who need a structured diet and exercise plan, since much of the hype of the product emphasizes that those in the clinical trial lost weight without changing lifestyle habits which might tend to convince would be dieters that they can maintain poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle and still be effective. 

Potential Risks of Sensa Sprinkle Diet

According to the diet product creator Dr. Hirsch,  the long term effects and safety of Sensa diet haven't been study yet.  

What the Experts Say About the Sensa Sprinkle Diet

The Sensa Diet claims that the Tastants do all the work. What it really hopes is that over time, you will begin to intuitively understand portion control and develop healthier eating habits, without having to give up any of your favorite foods.

Bottom Line Regarding Sesna Sprinkle Diet

Before you rush to get buy the Sensa product, consider the cost: it is $210 for six months supply. It is rather pricey for weight loss products. If you first want to test out the smell-taste-appetite-satiety connection before spring a few hundred bucks for the Sensa Sprinkles you can still test the smell-more-eat-less concept. Hirsch says to eat low-calorie foods with lots of seasonings, sniff your food before you eat it and then chew it a lot.  I think this author will try this approach first. 

About the Author

Jeff Behar, MS, MBA