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By Jodi Landfair The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly of Herbal Weight Loss Pills THE CLAIM "Eat! And Always Stay Thin! No Diet, No Exercise, No Danger, Banish FAT!" THE NEW CLAIM Still the same claim since the 1900’s Just a different product with different packaging THE GOOD • Many believe that because these are herbal and not prescription and are natural they are good for us; that they won’t hurt us. • Others believe that if our body has a little of what helps us lose weight, a lot is even better • What are we taking? – Chromium – Pyruvate – Hydroxycitric Acid (HCA) The GOOD continued • Chitosan. This dietary supplement is made from chitin, a starch found in the skeleton of shrimp, crab, and other shellfish. • 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) extract from a West African plant seed; linked to a blood disease. • Aloe is a plant related to cactus. Oral aloe causes bowel movements and has not be proven effective for weight loss. • Others: Cascara, Dandelion, Glucomannan, Guarana, Yerba Mate, Guar Gum. The BAD The FDA has issued warnings about taking some of the over the counter (OTC) weight loss supplements. Some of the “natural” weight loss supplements are tainted with other chemicals and drugs, making them even more dangerous. Be aware of fraud when purchasing OTC products. The Bad Continued • The following link is an advertisement that the FDA has produced to help consumers understand what to look for when purchasing an OTC medication or drug. »Health Fraud Scams - Don't Let This Happen to You The UGLY There are NO super-powerful “Diet Pills” The Ugly Can Be Beautiful • The only way to really lose weight is through proper diet and proper exercise. • Here is a link to a short video by the Huffington Post on Myths and Facts of Weight Loss. • Weight loss myths and facts • Weight loss is a life change not a diet pill REFERENCES: • • • • • • • Cleveland Clinic. (2010, March 24). Over-the-Counter&Herbal Remedies for Weight Loss. Retrieved from Cleveland Clinic: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/healthy_living/getting_fit/hic_Maintaining_a _Healthy_Weight/hic_Over-the-Counter_and_Herbal_Remedies_for_Weight_Loss FDA. (2011, March 14). Health Fraud Scams - Don't Let This Happen to You. Retrieved from Food and Drug Administration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTGM0sRtk4o FDA. (2014, September 12). Tainted Weight Loss Products. Retrieved from Food and Drug Administration (FDA): http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSaf ely/MedicationHealthFraud/ucm234592.htm Freuman, T. D. (2013, July 26). Myths And Facts About Weight Loss. Retrieved from Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/25/myths-facts-weightloss_n_3611969.html NIH. (2014, Septmeber 8). Herbal remedies and supplements for weight loss . Retrieved from MedLine Plus: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/patientinstructions/000347.htm Smith, M. W. (2014, March 20). Supplements for Weight Loss. Retrieved from Web MD: http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/herbal-remedies Woolston, C. (2014, March 11). Retrieved from Healthier Day: News for Healthier Living: http://consumer.healthday.com/encyclopedia/holistic-medicine-25/misalternative-medicine-news-19/herbal-weight-loss-pills-648311.html