Q. There are so many weight loss supplements and herbal medicines for men, but why do they never seem to work for me, and why is my belly fat only increasing?

I have personally experienced the struggle of having a protruding belly due to frequent work dinners and social obligations. It is incredibly frustrating when even intense exercise doesn't seem to reduce abdominal fat. From a Western medical perspective, the hormone 'cortisol' plays a significant role in male weight loss. High work stress causes cortisol levels to fluctuate, prompting the body to enter an 'emergency state' and store fat specifically in the viscera. In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), this phenomenon is viewed through the lens of Qi Stagnation (Gi-che, 氣滯) and Spleen Deficiency (Bi-heo, 脾虛). When Qi cannot circulate freely and remains blocked, sticky waste products called Phlegm-fluid (Dam-eum, 痰飮) accumulate. If Damp-Heat (Seup-yeol, 濕熱) from alcohol is added to the mix, it leads to Blood Stasis (Eo-hyeol, 瘀血), where the blood becomes turbid. This creates a causal chain: [Stress/Alcohol → Liver Qi Stagnation → Spleen Deficiency → Generation of Phlegm and Blood Stasis → Blocked Metabolism]. Spleen Deficiency means the digestive system is too weak to convert nutrients into energy, leaving behind only toxic residue. This is why you must restore Spleen function and clear the blocked Qi rather than relying solely on appetite suppressants. Since the degree of Phlegm-fluid accumulation and individual constitutions vary, the first step to successful weight loss should be a precise diagnosis of your current metabolic state.