Weight loss supplements: Do they work
or not?
We’re constantly bombarded with sensational claims and impossible promises when it comes to weight loss products. We all know these claims are too good to be true. But if you’re looking for a miracle, the hope to lose weight can override your sensibilities.
Top Dollar
U.S. citizens spent nearly $1 billion on weight control supplements in 2004.
If a supplement is for sale in the drugstore, it must be safe. Right?
Some supplements work. Some don’t. Some are even dangerous. Without FDA review and approval based on clinical trials, manufacturers aren’t required by law to prove that their products are safe before putting them on the market.
The fact that proof of safety is not rigid for weight loss supplements — some of which affect the body as significantly as drugs can — means that consumers need to be especially vigilant about which supplements they take.
The FDA can investigate and require products to carry warning labels or even pull products off the market entirely. Before it can act, however, it must prove the supplement presents a “significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury.” This is a lengthy and complex process; therefore, the FDA may not jump into it lightly.
The key to getting a product investigated is to file a consumer complaint, not to the manufacturer but directly to the FDA. Unlike pharmaceutical companies, weight loss supplement manufacturers aren’t required to track or investigate any complaints themselves that they receive about side effects associated with their products. Therefore, to improve the likelihood of an investigation, go straight to the FDA.
And then there were 29,000.
After the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act was passed in 1994, the number of supplements on the market exploded – from 4,000 in 1994 to 29,000 in 2004.
Too Good To Be True? Since 1990, the Federal Trade Commission, the government agency that enforces
truth-in-advertising laws, has filed about 100 cases accusing companies of false and misleading weight loss claims
for weight loss supplements, over-the-counter drugs, commercial weight loss centers, weight loss devices and exercise
equipment.
What to look for on the supplement labels: The over-the-counter diet solutions market is saturated
with countless "medications" that makers claim aid in weight loss. You see them on the shelf at your grocery store,
so you assume they have to be safe. How can you be sure you are buying something that will work and won't hurt you?
A good rule of thumb is to read the ingredient list. If you see terms like ephedra and kava, the supplement may affect your health more than your weight. Some people even take these weight loss supplements just because they know it will help them stay awake.
Here’s an example of what you are looking for the next time you think about picking up a weight loss supplement.
FDA Disclaimer: Look for this statement. “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease”.
U.S. Patent: The truth is any unique product – whether it works or not – can earn a patent.
† Daily Value not established: The reason the Daily Value isn’t there is because the indicated ingredients are not recommended by the FDA or have not been tested.
THE BIG RISK. In fact, you can’t even be sure what is in these supplements. Studies by consumer advocates, such as ConsumerLab, have shown that weight loss supplements can contain dangerous levels of the main ingredient or not contain the advertised main ingredient at all. Some have even been found to contain trace amounts of contaminants such as heavy metals.
Spotlight on spot reducing.
When you’re losing weight, it’s important to understand that you can’t spot reduce. That means, you can’t target your weight loss efforts to your stomach or thighs. Gradual, steady weight loss is the best way to change your entire body.
Lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks or lose your mind trying.
"Lose 7 pounds in 7 days!" "Trim pounds and inches in two weeks!"
If you lose 7 pounds in 7 days, you may get them back in 7 more. At the beginning of any diet, you can lose weight quickly. This is called “false fat” or water weight. Once you stop taking the weight loss supplement, the weight tends to comes back. Get-thin-quick schemes typically lack a solid plan for weight loss. There’s often no training, no follow up. So while the weight may disappear for a little while, odds are, it will come back.
How can you be safe? Ask an expert.
You don’t have to give up weight loss supplements altogether. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the safety of these products and what would work best for you. Together you can create a sensible weight loss plan. Weight loss supplements aren’t required to go through FDA approval, like prescription medications are. Therefore, it’s important to make safe choices and consult the experts.
