Are Supplements for Weight Loss Effective?

There are plenty of commercials touting the miraculous properties of weight loss supplements. Supplements for weight loss come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles. Let's look at some of the most popular weight reduction products, as well as their positive and negative consequences.

The stimulant synephrine is found in Bitter Orange, Citrus Aurantium, and Sour Orange. It can cause hypertension and cardiovascular damage. These products should be avoided at all costs by anyone who has heart disease, hypertension, or glaucoma.

The claims that chromium promotes weight loss and improves body composition have been backed up by a large study that confirmed it. Although this product claims to improve leanness, there are few studies to back up the marketing claims.

Ephedra suppresses appetite and has been shown to be beneficial when used with caffeine in studies. Ephedra, on the other hand, causes high blood pressure, stroke, and major cardiac problems, which is why the sale of ephedra-containing dietary supplements was banned in April 2004.

7-Keto Dehydroepiandrosterone (7-keto DHEA): Preliminary study suggests that increasing metabolism may help to reduce body weight and fat composition, but more research is needed.

Garcinia Cambogia and Hydroxycitric Acid (HCA) are two products that promise to decrease hunger and enhance fat metabolism. Despite conflicting outcomes in research, they are typically harmless.

L-Carnitine: Although L-Carnitine claims to prevent obesity, there is insufficient data to support this claim.

A few small studies suggest that dihydroxyacetone (DHA), pyruvate, and dihydroxyacetone and pyruvate (DHAP) supplements may have minor weight-loss effects, but further research is needed. There have been no major negative effects documented so yet.

These products promise to help break down fat so that it can be absorbed, emulsified, trapped, and removed by the body (examples: Chito-Trim, Exercise in a Bottle, Fat BlockerChitosan Complex, Fat Grabbers, Fat Trapper, Fat Trapper Plus, Metabo Fat Blocker, Miracletab, Now Chitosan with Chromium). Such statements are currently unsupported by competent and reputable scientific research.