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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.
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