Health experts say that a lot of fat can be trimmed from the claims made by the makers of many diet supplements.
While most supplements claim weight-loss benefits, few have been proven to be successful, health experts say. Yet many diet supplements available at supermarkets and nutrition stores nationwide continue to lure buyers with attractive promises and unfounded scientific evidence.
“Most diet supplements available on the market today are not effective and safe for long-term weight-loss goals,” says Tania Ramsey, a registered dietitian at the GW Hospital.
According to the Web site for General Nutrition Centers, a health supplements chain, diet supplements are classified into three groups based on criteria related to safety and evidence of health benefits.
A supplement in the “primary” category can be assumed to have reliable and relatively consistent scientific data showing a health benefit. A “secondary” rating indicates conflicting information or insufficient data to make a positive recommendation. Finally, a supplement is designated as “other” if there is either little scientific support or minimal proven health benefit.
The only supplement GNC places in the primary category is fiber. According to GNC, there is consensus among medical studies that fiber is useful for decreasing caloric intake. Yet conflicting reports fail to pinpoint a direct correlation between weight loss and fiber intake.
GNC lists pyruvate and the herbal supplement Ephedra in the “secondary” category. While long-term effectiveness and safety have yet to be determined (as is true with many of the following supplements), pyruvate when taken in doses of 22 to 44 grams daily enhances weight loss and reduces body fat in those people consuming low-fat diets. Physicians believe pyruvate operates by affecting the resting metabolic rate, though this has only been proven so far in animal trials.
The herbal supplement Ephedra is also known as ma huang, and is a stimulant for the central nervous system. Known to cause numerous side effects and health hazards, consumption of ma huang for weight loss has been linked to cases of cardiac arrest, says Laura Fleck, a registered dietitian for the GW Hospital.
In the “other” category, one of the mineral supplements that has shown some success is chromium. Chromium, sold as chromium picolinate, has been studied for its ability to alter body composition. While short-term success has been recorded, follow-up research has shown chromium has no long-range effects.
Some companies claim guarana, which contains substances that suppress one’s appetite, aids in weight loss. One component of guarana is guaranine, which is closely related to caffeine. It is not recommended by many health professionals because of possible adverse side effects associated with stimulants and appetite suppressants that can cause preliminary malnutrition.
Fleck says that weight loss need not be a huge financial commitment. She recommends participating in an enjoyable exercise for at least 20 minutes three times a week. This combined with a sensible low-fat diet is enough to get started, she says.
“When it comes to losing weight, there really is only one safe, proven effective method, and that is to exercise and eat a well-balanced meal,” she says.
