There are many lose weight pills on the market. They tout numerous benefits and list a variety of substances. But the layperson doesn’t really know what kinds of effects these supplements have in them. Therefore, I turned to the highly respected Mayo Medical Clinic to find out what the effectiveness of the items in the lose weight pills were.
The hot trend right now in lose weight pills is Bitter Orange. This is touted in many supplements as an “ephedra substitute. There is some scientific thinking that it may cause similar problems as ephedra – which was pulled off the market for causing heart attack and stroke. There hasn’t been enough research on Bitter Orange and the long term effects are unknown.
Chitosan is described as a relatively safe ingredient in supplements. The manufacturers often tout this as having the ability to block the absorption of fat into the body. Mayo says this is highly unlikely. Also, they caution that it may cause constipation and bloating. Again, the long term effects are unknown.
Chromium is another of the lose weight pills that is relatively safe but unlikely to work according to Mayo. It supposedly reduces body fat and builds muscle.
CLA can cause diarrhea and indigestion. Mayo says it might be able to decrease fat and increase muscle, but is unlikely to reduce overall body weight.
Country Mallow is supposed to decrease appetite and increase the number of calories burned. But, like Bitter Orange, it contains ephedra and has all of the associated risks.
Ephedra has been banned for medical or supplement use, but is still allowed to be sold as a tea. Despite this, many supplements still contain ephedra. It can cause high blood pressure, heart rate irregularities, sleeplessness, seizures, heart attacks, strokes and even death and should be strenuously avoided.
Green tea extract is included in any number of lose weight pills. It is supposed to increase calorie burning and metabolism and decrease appetite. There is limited evidence to support this claim, according to Mayo. However, it an cause vomiting, bloating, indigestion and diarrhea. Also, it contains a high amount of caffeine, so if you are watching that, you may want to restrict supplements containing Green tea.
Guar Gum is another supplement that is harmless but unlikely to cause any real weight loss. Makers claim that it blocks the absorption of dietary fat and increases the feeling of fullness, which leads to decreased calorie intake. However, it is more likely to cause diarrhea, flatulence and other gastrointestinal problems
Finally, Hoodia is another ingredient found in many lose weight pills. It is supposed to decrease appetite. However, the Mayo Clinic says there is no conclusive evidence to support this claim.
Many people have found success using these type of supplements. However, they are expensive and there are no legitimate scientific studies that back up the claims. These lose weight pills are quite expensive, so you have to balance the payoff versus the pay out.