Diet Supplements
Diet supplements are dangerous. Not only do they contain questionable ingredients, which have improbably beneficial effects and are likely to produce health problems. With their claims to total safety, they are far too widely available.
Diet supplements, "over-the-counter" products, differ from drugs. Drugs cure, treat or prevent disease. Such claims cannot be made for dietary supplements.
A diet supplement is a pill, capsule or liquid, containing at least one dietary ingredient - vitamins, minerals, herbs and amino-acids. Products of this nature are labeled dietary supplements. They come in several categories. Some claim to help improve health, reducing the risk of disease. Some contain essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Other products claim they have effects on the organs or systems of the body. They cannot mention any specific disease.
Dietary supplements do not require the approval of health officials unless they contain a new dietary ingredient, one not sold as a dietary supplement before 1994.
Although there is a wide range of products, each of them claiming to be the one best product, most over-the-counter weight-control products contain the same active ingredient. This is phenylpropanolamine (PPA), in the form of Dexatrim and Acutrim, which is available in 75-milligram, controled-release dosages. Studies performed by US officials (FDA) have not proved that these products actually help in weight loss. Meanwhile, increasing the dosage of this product may endanger health. There is the risk of high blood pressure and heart palpitations.
The Most Popular
Among them are:
Metabolism Enhancing Drugs
- Based on caffeine (found in yerba mate, white willow bark, cocoa extract, and guarana). Risks: They may raise blood pressure levels, increase heart beat rate and cause sleep disturbances.
- Supplements containing synephrine. Risks: High blood pressure and increased heart rate.
- Supplements containing ephedra. Since it was banned in 2003, because of seriuos safety concerns, it appears in the form of equivalents such as ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, norephedrine, methylephedrine and norpseudoephedrine. These products are not to be recommended at all. They pose serious health risks, from headaches, insomnia, irritability to increased blood pressure, heart palpitations, seizures, stroke, heart attacks and even death. When these products are used in combination with caffeine, these side effects increase.
- Supplements with garcinia cambogia(or hydroxycitric acid). Low effect on decreasing appetite and on increasing metabolic rate. They have side effects such as nausea.
- Supplements with bladderwrack. They contain iodine, an may damage thyroid equilibrium. Nor have they been proven to have any effect on weight loss.
Fat Burners
Chromium may help in weight loss, while its increased level triggers DNA changes, muscle toxicity and kidney failure. The dosage should not exceed 50-200mcg a day.
Quercetin and Pyruvate were proven to have little to no effect on weight loss.
Fat Absorption Inhibitors
Interfere with lipase. They have little effect on weight loss. Their side effects include gas, bloating, diarrhea and decreased absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
Carb Absorption Inhibitors
Interfere with amylase. They are found in the form of phaseolus, wheat amylase inhibitor, white kidney bean extract. They have little effect on weight loss. Their side effects include gas, bloating and diarrhea.
Conclusion
Not only are these supplements useless, but in some cases they are risky for a number of reasons. They are unregulated and combine ingredients, some of which are dangerous, are labeled inaccurately and are often misused. Diet supplements are not to be recommended. They must not be taken over a long time period, in combination with other drugs (without serious documentation) or even with other supplements.
