Many people will use a consumable that offers the promise of easy weight loss with the hope that just swallowing a pill, powder, or liquid supplement of some kind will somehow reduce their weight. If you're one of these people, you know the disappointment from using these products. Even some vitamin formulations offer promise of weight loss. The reality is that the best and most effective way to lose weight is to focus on eating healthier and living healthier. That is, choosing to eat more fruits and vegetables. If you follow this blog at all, you know that estimates are 99% of us don't get enough of those foods in our diet. Hence the reason we recommend adding Juice Plus+®, to at least get more nutrients from those foods. Here's a study on the ineffectiveness of some of these dietary supplements --
Two studies that examined the effects of various over-the-counter weight loss supplements found no evidence that any facilitate weight loss beyond the placebo effect, according to data presented at the International Congress on Obesity.
An 8-week, placebo-controlled, partially-blinded study examined the effects of polyglucosamide, cabbage powder, konjak extract, sodiumalginate-complex, bean concentrate, L-carnitine, fiber formulation, guarana seed powder and selected plant extracts compared with placebo. The study included 189 overweight and obese participants (BMI, 25 to 35; mean age, 47 years).
Significant weight loss occurred in the placebo group (mean change: –1.21 kg) and seven of the supplement cohorts (mean change: –1.05 kg to –1.99 kg). Following adjustments, no over-the-counter product caused significantly greater weight loss than placebo.
Many of these supplements have not been submitted to clinical trials, according to Thomas Ellrott, MD, head of the Institute for Nutrition and Psychology at University of Göttingen Medical School, Germany.
“The market for these is huge, but, unlike for regulated drugs, effectiveness does not have to be proven for these to be sold,” Ellrott said in a press release. “We need to put them through rigorous scientific evaluation to determine whether they have any benefit.”
In a second study presented at the meeting, researchers presented the results of a review of literature searches for relevant articles on popular weight loss supplements. They found nine systematic reviews that evaluated guar gum, chromium picolinate, ephedra, spp/ephedrine, citrus aurantium (bitter orange), conjugated linoleic acid, calcium, glucomannan, chitosan and camellia sinensis (green tea).
“We found no evidence that any of these food supplements studied is an adequate treatment for reducing body weight,” Igho Onakpoya, MD,of Peninsula Medical School at the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, U.K., said in a release.
According to the researchers, Americans spend more than $1.6 billion per year on weight loss supplements.
“People think these supplements are a shortcut to weight loss and may spend huge sums of money on them, but they may end up disappointed, frustrated and depressed if their weight expectations are not met in the long term,” Onakpoya said. (reference...)
Comments: You don't need to spend your money on products that promise easy weight loss. Instead, put your money on fresh fruits and vegetables. Until you each the minimum recommended servings of those foods (at least 5/day, although 7 or more seems to be the most recent recommendation), then add Juice Plus+® so you're getting additional nutrients from those foods. The healthiest diet and best insurance you can provide yourself is a one that includes plenty of ripe, raw fruits and vegetables. Those foods provide the antioxidants and nutrients that will keep you healthy and help prevent sickness and disease.
The Health & Wellness Institute, PC
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