Weight Loss Guru


Diet Supplements

     A dietary supplement is defined as a product taken orally that adds to a person's diet through the use of nutritional ingredients. Examples of dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs, and enzymes. Some diet pills used to enhance weight loss are marketed as nonprescription dietary supplements.

Diet or Dietary Supplements - FDA Regulation

     The regulation of diet supplements by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is much laxer than for prescription weight loss drugs. Prescription diet drugs must be tested for safety and effectiveness before being sold and administered and drug manufacturers must record, research, and share with the FDA any information about illnesses or injuries pertaining to their products.

     The problem is that the FDA views diet supplements as foods rather than drugs. Diet supplements do not require FDA approval unless they contain a new ingredient that must be tested. The FDA must demonstrate that a dietary supplement has harmed consumers before it can stop it from being sold, however, once a brand of diet supplements is on the market, recording and monitoring of ill-effects caused by the diet supplements is the voluntary responsibility of the manufacturer, which may not have its consumers best interests in mind.

Their Effectiveness in Weight Loss:

     There is no evidence that the use of diet supplements alone, causes weight loss. Some weight loss trials have indicated small additional weight loss benefits for people taking diet supplements, but only when taken as part of a proper diet and exercise program. In fact, some diet supplements can even cause a variety of negative side effects, such as: heart problems, increase risk of stroke , shortness of breath, fluid retention, inability to concentrate, shakiness, sleep problems, malnutrition, binge eating when diet supplement wears off, and rapid weight gain after you go off the supplements.

Herbal Diet Supplements:

     Most claims are misleading about the supposed weight loss benefits of herbal weight loss supplements, "natural" fat-burners or appetite suppressants. A great deal of these herbal diet supplements are amphetamine-type stimulants, and are supposed to increase metabolism and help the body break down fat. It is important to note that there is very little (if any) evidence that they are effective for weight loss. In fact, some diet supplements (e.g. those containing ephedra/ma huang) have been linked to serious side effects such as heart attacks, seizures, and death.

Beware of "Natural" Diet Supplements:

     Herbal phen-fens -are the biggest sellers of herbal weight-loss supplements. They are named after banned prescription drug combinations of phentermine and fenfluramine as they are supposed to cause a similar weight loss result. According to herbal phen-fen makers, the big difference is that unlike the prescription drug, herbal phen-fens are completely safe because they use "natural" ingredients. This is not the truth. Some of the most potent toxins are 'natural'...even poison is natural...the word 'natural' does not guarantee safety.

Diet Supplements - Labelling and Ingredients

     Another major problem with supplements is that consumers can't always be sure that the products they are getting are pure, or even contain what the labels say. This is that due to the lack of legal standards and FDA regulatory powers over herbal diet supplements. Most herbal phen-fen supplements contain a mixture of herbs which often include ephedra, St. John's wort, chromium picolinate and others. Some diet-supplement ingredients like ephedra, can be dangerous when abused, while others, such as St. John's wort and chromium picolinate, show no clinical evidence of being beneficial for weight loss.

Risks of Stomach fillers
     Some diet supplements use fillers, such as guar gum, which are fiber-based products, that absorb liquid and swell in the stomach, thereby reducing hunger, can be harmful. They can cause obstructions in the intestines, stomach, or esophagus. The FDA has taken legal action against several promoters of diet supplements containing guar gum.

Appetite Suppressants Can Become Addictive

     Some appetite suppressant supplements contain amphetamine derivatives and are highly addictive. The patient is inclined to take large and larger doses with ever increasing addiction as their effect tends to wear off if they are taken for long periods. This is a high risk method of weight loss with no evidence of long term weight control.

Advice for Using Weight Loss & Diet Supplements:

     When checking out weight loss supplements, read the claims and literature carefully. Some product manufacturer will urge you to do some or all of the following in conjunction with their diet suplements: exercise for 20 to 60 minutes five to seven days a week; eat three low-fat, balanced meals and two snacks every day; eat at least two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetable each day; drink six to eight glasses of water every day; limit or stop drinking alcohol; stop eating two to three hours before bedtime. All of these tips guarantee natural weight loss and long term weight control, therefore there is no point of buying the weight loss supplements.

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