Thursday, May 03, 2007 "Lose 8 to 10 pounds per week easily, and you won't gain the weight back afterward." "Lose up to 2 pounds daily without diet or exercise!" "You could lose up to 10 lbs. this weekend!" "Clinically proven to give you a better body without spending countless hours dieting or working out." "Lose 10 lbs. and unwanted inches in 48 hours. Guaranteed!" Do these promises sound too best weight loss program good to be true? Well, they are. They are among hundreds of advertising claims and testimonials touted by sellers of over-the-counter weight-loss remedies. They appear in leading magazines and newspapers, on television infomercials and the Web. And millions of people succumb to the pie-in-the-sky promises every day, throwing away good money and, sometimes, their good health along with it.

More than $1.3 billion a year is spent on dietary supplements for weight loss, most of which have had little or no scientifically acceptable testing for effectiveness and safety, especially when used for months. More than 20 percent of women and nearly 10 percent of men have used nonprescription weight-loss supplements, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention proshape-rx says. "Over-the-counter dietary supplements to treat obesity appeal to many patients who desire a magic bullet for weight loss," Dr. Robert B. Saper and colleagues at the Harvard Medical School wrote in the journal American Family Physician in fast weight loss 2004. Those seeking to lose unwanted pounds can choose among more than 50 individual dietary supplements and more than 125 combination products, none of which meets medically acceptable criteria for recommended use, the experts wrote. In a telephone survey last year among 1,444 people trying to lose weight, by the Center for Survey Research and Analysis at the University of Connecticut, more than 60 percent mistakenly thought that all such supplements had been tested and proved safe and effective; 54 percent thought that the Food and Drug Administration approved the remedies. In fact, not one dietary supplement for weight loss using over-the-counter diet pills. It can cause constipation, bloating and other body weight chart gastrointestinal symptoms, the Mayo Clinic reported. One substance, pyruvate, showed a small benefit over a placebo, about two and a half pounds in six weeks.

It is frightfully expensive and takes a week or two before results are seen. Green tea extract, said to speed metabolism and suppress appetite, is supported by limited evidence of effectiveness and can cause vomiting, bloating, indigestion and diarrhea, as well as jitteriness and palpitations from its caffeine. In addition to possible risks associated with single-drug supplements, many products combine several ingredients that could interact to add hazards. Some ingredients in weight-loss supplements can interact with prescription and over-the-counter remedies, possibly resulting in toxic effects.

Hoodia, a supplement derived from a South African cactus, may indeed suppress appetite. But the real thing is very hard to obtain, and most of the products sold in stores and on the Web contain little or none of the effective extract. The list could go on and on, but I think you get the point. There is no quick fix for weight loss using over-the-counter diet pills. Several prescription drugs have received FDA approval. Orlistat, sold as Xenical, reduces the absorption of fat from foods. It can cause gastrointestinal distress and disrupt absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Sibutramine, sold as Meridia, revs up metabolism and energy levels and creates a feeling of fullness.

Common side effects include dry mouth, constipation and insomnia. Meridia should not be used by people with cardiac risk factors and those who use bronchodilators, take decongestants or use MAO inhibitors or SSRI's for depression. A number of products called sympathomimetics are approved for short-term use. All can raise blood pressure. They include phentermine, sold as Lonamin, Oby-Cap, Adipex and Fastin; mazindol, Mazanor and Sanorex; benzphetamine, Didrex; diethylpropion, Tenuate; and phendimetrazine, Adipost, Bontril, Melfiat, Plegine, Prelu-2 and Statobex. Any may help a dieter start, but because of side effects, long-term use is generally not recommended. lose weight Return to Top Copyright 2007 The Daily Reflector. All rights reserved. - The Daily Reflector - Our Partners By using this service, you accept the terms of our visitor agreement and privacy policy.

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