What are some of the questionable weight loss products?
Some dieters peg their hopes on pills and capsules that
promise to "burn," "block," "flush," or otherwise eliminate fat
from the system. But science has yet to come up with a low-risk
"magic bullet" for weight loss. Some pills may help control the
appetite, but they can have serious side effects. (Amphetamines,
for instance, are highly addictive and can have an adverse impact
on the heart and central nervous system.) Other pills are utterly
worthless.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a number of state
Attorney General have successfully brought cases against marketers
of pills claiming to absorb or burn fat. The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has banned 111 ingredients once found in
over-the-counter diet products. None of these substances, which
include alcohol, caffeine, dextrose, and guar gum, have proved
effective in weight-loss or appetite suppression.
Beware of the following products that are touted as weight-loss
wonders:
- Diet patches, which are worn on the skin, have not been proven
to be safe or effective. The FDA has seized millions of these
products from manufacturers and promoters.
- "Fat blockers" purport to physically absorb fat and mechanically
interfere with the fat a person eats.
- "Starch blockers" promise to block or impede starch digestion.
Not only is the claim unproven, but users have complained of
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pains.
- "Magnet" diet pills allegedly "flush fat out of the body." The
FTC has brought legal action against several marketers of these
pills.
- Glucomannan is advertised as the "Weight Loss Secret That's Been
in the Orient for Over 500 Years." There is little evidence
supporting this plant root's effectiveness as a weight-loss
product.
- Some bulk producers or fillers, such as fiber-based products,
may absorb liquid and swell in the stomach, thereby reducing
hunger. Some fillers, such as guar gum, can even prove harmful,
causing obstructions in the intestines, stomach, or esophagus. The
FDA has taken legal action against several promoters containing
guar gum.
- Spirulina, a species of blue-green algae, has not been proven
effective for losing weight.
Phony weight-loss devices range from those that are simply
ineffective to those that are truly dangerous to your health. At
minimum, they are a waste of your hard-earned money. Some of the
fraudulent gadgets that have been marketed to hopeful dieters over
the years include:
- Electrical muscle stimulators have legitimate use in physical
therapy treatment. But the FDA has taken a number of them off the
market because they were promoted for weight loss and body toning.
When used incorrectly, muscle stimulators can be dangerous, causing
electrical shocks and burns.
- "Appetite suppressing eyeglasses" are common eyeglasses with
colored lenses that claim to project an image to the retina which
dampens the desire to eat. There is no evidence these work.
- "Magic weight-loss earrings" and devices custom-fitted to the
purchaser's ear that purport to stimulate acupuncture points
controlling hunger have not been proven effective.
Source: Excerpted from
FDA/FTC/NAAG Brochure 1992: The Facts about Weight Loss Products and
Programs
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