Does it Work?Unsure if the latest product or service lives up to it's claims? From popular products to the latest scams, discuss it here before you buy!
I'm writing to see if anyone has tried or heard of this mysterious drops. There is not much to be found on the web regarding this, I've seen half positive and half scam. I'm at my wits end, I've tried everything including diet and excercise, my CFS is always hindering any little progress I make. So I need some sort of energy boost via metabolizers and ever since my pills were banned last year, I've been at a loss.I have a toddler son which makes it even harder and I'm getting married in July, I feel hopeless, I'm not looking for a magic cure. Just something that will help with energy, waterweight and appetite supression. I am an emotional eater which doesn't help the equation all together, but I've always maintained a lot better when I was lighter, my CFS didn't take such a toll, so my energy was up and my appetite down. Now I'm 186lbs and need to be at least 165lbs to fit in my wedding dress and I've tried everything.I've even tried diet and stuck with it, I got so light headed all the time and was so tired, I had no energy, I increased my caloric intake and workout and only ended up gaining 5lbs in 1 week. I feel absolutely in despair. If anyone knows of any supplements to help me with these 3 keys to my past weightloss I'd be most grateful. Again thats for energy (sustaing 12 hrs), water retention and appetite suppression.
Sounds like a scam to me...I just googled and couldn't find a website, just some message board postings and a couple of old eBay auctions where the seller did not list ingredients or whether the product 'worked' or not.
Just look at it this way. If this "Supra Svelte" REALLY worked, and the company found some sort of mysterious miracle ingredient to boost your energy and burn fat or whatever that isn't identical to everything else out there, then why be so surreptitious about it? Why not announce it to the major media and make a HUGE FORTUNE? I would bet big money that if there are any 'active ingredients', that they are the exact same as what is in ALL the 'diet' or 'energy' pills that are being marketed these days...you know...green tea extract, bitter orange, guarana, etc. etc.
And speaking of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome...have you actually been diagnosed by a physician with CFS? If so shouldn't you be in treatment for this? On their website, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) , has quite a bit of info including treatment recommendations:
Quote:
Decisions regarding treatment for CFS or any chronically fatiguing illness should be made only in consultation with a health care provider. The health care provider, together with the patient, will develop an individually tailored program that provides the greatest benefit. This treatment program will be based on assessment of the patient’s overall medical condition and current symptoms, and will be modified over time on the basis of regular follow-up and assessment of the patient’s changing condition. Currently, most health care providers with experience in treating persons with CFS use some combination of the therapies discussed below. Persons who have questions about a particular treatment should contact a qualified health care provider, local medical society, or university medical school for additional information.
Some proposed treatments are unproven and may be harmful. Therapy should not aggravate existing symptoms or create new ones. It should not mask another illness that needs identification and specific treatment. Finally, therapy should not impose an excessive financial burden on the patient.
As a service to CFS patients and other interested persons, this section provides some basic information about different therapies that have been used for the treatment of patients with CFS. These descriptions are intended only for general informational purposes. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has recently completed an Evidence Report Defining and Managing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome that can be downloaded from their website...
Dietary Supplements and Herbal Preparations
A variety of dietary supplements and herbal preparations are claimed to have potential benefits for CFS patients. With few exceptions, the effectiveness of these remedies for treating CFS has not been evaluated in controlled trials. Contrary to common belief, the "natural" origin of a product does not ensure safety. Dietary supplements and herbal preparations can have potentially serious side reactions and some can interfere or interact with prescription medications. CFS patients should seek the advice of their health care provider before using any unprescribed remedy.
Vitamins, coenzymes, minerals: Preparations that have been claimed to have benefit for CFS patients include adenosine monophosphate, coenzyme Q-10, germanium, glutathione, iron, magnesium sulfate, melatonin, NADH, selenium, l-tryptophan, vitamins B12, C, and A, and zinc. An early CFS study found reduced red blood cell magnesium sulfate in CFS patients, but two subsequent studies have found no difference between patients and healthy controls. The therapeutic value of all these preparations for CFS has not been validated.
Herbal preparations: Plants are known sources of many pharmacological materials. However, unrefined plant preparations contain variable levels of the active compound and may contain many irrelevant, potentially harmful substances. Preparations that have been claimed to have benefit to CFS patients include astralagus, borage seed oil, bromelain, comfrey, echinacea, garlic, Ginkgo biloba, ginseng, primrose oil, quercetin, St. John's wort, and Shiitake mushroom extract. Only primrose oil was evaluated in a controlled study, and the beneficial effects noted in CFS patients have not been independently confirmed. Some herbal preparations, notably comfrey and high-dose ginseng, have recognized harmful effects.
I URGE you to not waste your money and/or risk your health on potentially harmful substances...please see your physican first. Also - you might want to check out two forums here at 3FC - "PCOS/Insulin Resistance Support" and "Dieting with Health Problems". Good luck and take care of yourself
I've been diagnosed and there really is no "found" therapy or "cure" for this disease. Herbal supplementation as quoted can be helpful but are not always long term solutions to the problem.
I understand your Media question, but I've used in past years previous products that I never found a one on-line or thru media. Came across one in a medical journal and the other thru a vendor that was with a company trying to expand it's market once the trials had been completed. Both were ligit but are no longer available due to recent bannings.
I have CFS and fibromyalgia. I was diagnosed 23 years ago, and you are right, there is no cure or "found therapy" for either syndrome. You're probably not going to like this answer, but what absolutely changed my life was getting my sleep patterns regulated with prescription meds from my doctor (I'm treated by a rheumatologist). Over the years, these meds have included anti-depressants, muscle relaxants, anti-spasmodics, and anti-seizure meds. With normalized sleep, I could function better. Four years ago, at about your current weight, I decided I just had to lose it. No excuses, no magic pills. No ephedra. I had more energy and less pain in the morning, so I got up early and did 45 minutes on a recumbent bike and lifted weights. I cut all "white stuff" and other high glycemic foods from my diet (initially I used the SugarBusters Diet), ate whole grains, loads of vegetables and lean proteins. If I was hungry, I flossed and brushed, and went to bed. No fast food. No cheating. It was the most important thing in my life. I do take a lot of vitamins including extra C, calcium, magnesium and zinc, co-enzyme 10, and glucosamine. I feel better when I take them.
The more weight came off, the more energy I had. My joints felt better. I slept better. I'm still on medication, but I have loads of energy. I still workout about an hour a day. I used to barely fit into a size 18, now size 4 jeans fit me. I'm 50 years old and have 2 kids.
If I can do it, so can you! You owe it to yourself, your child and your future marriage! You can feel better and you can do it without banned substances. Get the sugar and junk out of your diet, and at first just force yourself to exercise. After a while you won't want to go back.
I'm guessing that they have been banned for health & safety issues? (like ephedra)
You might want to have your primary doc. recommend a Registered Dietician to help get you started on eating right to help with wt. loss, and just invest your $$ in a 3 month gym membership and a trainer? Many times you can find both in the same place and your health insurance might even cover a portion of the cost.... You don't always have to make a long-term contract with a gym, although they don't advertise that fact.
Well I did majority of those things, as I stated in another forum, none of that has worked. I do have sleep issues as well, but meds cause other health problems for me in order to promote sleep AND has put me in the hospital. I also seem to have a high tolerance to medication, go figure so half the stuff I've ever taken either doesn't effect me at all so I take more and results in to much, or gives me headaches or stomach symptoms.
When I get up in the morning, if feels as if someone is holding me down cause I'm so physically exhausted. Trying to workout AM has been impossible, I've been trying that for a couple of months, I got sick every time. I keep thinking it's because of lack of sleep, but I could sleep for 24 hours if someone would let me. Its how exhausted I am, I don't know how to explain it any better. I've been taking some metabolic boosters that help get me thru my work day, but by 7PM, I'm so exhausted again, it's ridiculous and I still have so much to do before bed. Then when I finally relax to sleep, my mind is working overtime, my earliest bedtime in over 3 years has been 1AM.
You probably would be better off finding a doctor who will work with you through your problems and find the right combination for your body....self-medicating (taking more because it doesn't seem to be working) isn't the answer, it can be dangerous and toxic. Clinical Pharmacology best left to the experts. If you need a stimulant, let a qualified doctor (traditional or holistic) find it for you.
honey - i can't urge you enough to find a good doctor who can take proper care of you. one of the awful side effects of those so-called metabolic boosters is that they wear you out! so you could actually be making your CFS worse!
there's a man at my gym who's had CFS for years. and there are days when it's an effort for him to stand and walk. but he's always said that, as long as he doesn't overdo it, the exercise keeps him going.
sounds to me like you have a HUGE amount of stuff to deal with. and while i empathize with your desire to lose weight, methinks that getting appropriate treatment for the CFS is the biggest issue right now.
SupraSvelte contains Orthosiphon and Garcinia Cambogia. It may also contain other ingredients, but this is all the advertisement lists. I'll look into it further later.
Orthosiphon is a diuretic and should not be used if you have certain health problems. The FDA has not reviewed this ingredient for safety. You should ask your doctor if you can take it. It should definitely not be used more than a few days without advice from a doctor. Any weight lost will be from water. You'll dehydrate yourself, and possibly cause heart or kidney problems.
Garcinia: An extensive study by JAMA concluded: Garcinia cambogia failed to produce significant weight loss and fat mass loss beyond that observed with placebo. Whenever I see this ingredient on a weight loss product, my "hooey antenna" pops up, lol.
About the company selling this product:
Paris Slimming Institute - From what I've found so far, their mailing address is actually a maildrop, and the company doesn't seem to exist.
There seem to be a LOT of people responding to the mailing, and are posting scam alerts on various forums. They are billed even for the free trial, are told they cannot cancel their orders, and there is no information provided for refunds or returns.
One person said the pills looked like saccharin tablets and they make her coffee sweet, and she's on her third bottle with no results at all. If they are that tiny, how much active ingredient could they contain? Another person said the label was so cheaply done that she was afraid to take the product.
Remember that these products are not regulated. They do not have to contain any amount of the ingredients listed on the label. Imported products frequently contain contaminants such as lead. Your personal safety is always at risk when you order blindly.
SupraSvelte contains Orthosiphon and Garcinia Cambogia. It may also contain other ingredients, but this is all the advertisement lists. I'll look into it further later.
Orthosiphon is a diuretic and should not be used if you have certain health problems. The FDA has not reviewed this ingredient for safety. You should ask your doctor if you can take it. It should definitely not be used more than a few days without advice from a doctor. Any weight lost will be from water. You'll dehydrate yourself, and possibly cause heart or kidney problems.
Garcinia: An extensive study by JAMA concluded: Garcinia cambogia failed to produce significant weight loss and fat mass loss beyond that observed with placebo. Whenever I see this ingredient on a weight loss product, my "hooey antenna" pops up, lol.
About the company selling this product:
Paris Slimming Institute - From what I've found so far, their mailing address is actually a maildrop, and the company doesn't seem to exist.
There seem to be a LOT of people responding to the mailing, and are posting scam alerts on various forums. They are billed even for the free trial, are told they cannot cancel their orders, and there is no information provided for refunds or returns.
One person said the pills looked like saccharin tablets and they make her coffee sweet, and she's on her third bottle with no results at all. If they are that tiny, how much active ingredient could they contain? Another person said the label was so cheaply done that she was afraid to take the product.
Remember that these products are not regulated. They do not have to contain any amount of the ingredients listed on the label. Imported products frequently contain contaminants such as lead. Your personal safety is always at risk when you order blindly.
It's truly like taking candy from strangers.
Hmmm they look like saccharin tablets and they're sweet?
I'd bet that they ARE actually saccharin tablets!
Just wanted to remind anyone who might be reading this who has ordered this product...and wants their money back...if you paid via your credit card, PLEASE file a CHARGEBACK with your bank that issued your card. One of the benefits of using a credit card is that you are afforded some protection in cases such as these!
Mel, you are SO encouraging! My doctor diagnosed me with CFS last year. I'm already on meds for depression and sleep and I don't have any pain, so there's nothing else she can do to help me with my fatigue. But I've been exercising in spite of it, and I do feel better when I exercise.
I know how you feel, TA...it's like slogging through mud to get up in the morning. With full-time work and full-time school, I don't get to bed before 12 most nights, and it's often more like 1 a.m. Still, Mel has me motivated to get my butt out of bed next Monday and get to the gym like I planned. Exercise just feels so good afterwards. :
I have seen a lot of good/bad on this stuff, but primarily it ended up being the BBB report that swayed me. So I stopped my check. I'm disappointed but ok with it. I'm always looking for something and though I do realize some metabolic boosters give you the up/down effect, I had found in the past the ones that didn't. My problem now is finding a different one. Excercise is hard or impossible when waking up with a migraine is the first thing, trying to get ready for work and not call in sick and lose your job, worrying your not caring about your child enough and trying not to have another headache as you go to bed. Funny though, some ppl might find this interesting. I was actually inspired this weekend by a brochure book I received from Prevention. Below is the title:
"What in the world is wrong with me?”
“I can’t lose weight no matter how hard I try”
“I feel so sluggish all the time”
“I’m so forgetful. I think I’m losing my mind”
“I find myself craving foods between meals”
“I don’t sleep as well as I used to”
“I’m a happy person, but sometimes I feel so blue”
“My vision isn’t as sharp as it used to be”
“My mind feels so mushy all the time”
The name of the book they are promoting is called The Sugar Solution. I did some research on their web and read over the brochure and found the similiarities quite profound. Back in my teens I was diagnosed w/sugar problems, but during my pregnancy, go figure everything was normal. I thought I must've outgrown it.
To many coincidences as of late and symptoms related to my condition made me question if I had developed hyperglycemia AFTER my son was born again. I would've never caught it had I not read this brocure. I've ordered the book and I'm hoping it will give me tools to use in my diet that will perhaps alleviate some of my symptoms and maybe even help with my CFS. What I like is that they do not calorie count, I find that not only annoying but tedious.
Instead it gives you a gylcemic index and also neutralizer guide that helps with those I gotta have it foods but in proportion of couse, these are the super-low GI foods that not only keep your blood sugar low by themselves, but also reduce the gylcemic effect of all the other foods on your plate. Example would be cinnamon. Cinnamon stimulates the production of glucose-burning enzymes and increases the effectiveness of insulin. Same with garlic, onion and bitter melon. I'm finding this stuff most interesting and if what I'm thinking might be true and my sugar is what is effecting me symptomatically than this could be why I'm suffering daily from some sort of problem along with the fatigue.
Last edited by ta_evans; 03-21-2005 at 01:19 PM.
Reason: mispellings
Congratulations! I think you are on to something there I know eating a very low GI diet certainly helped me feel better and lose the weight.
Let us know how it goes! You might want to look at the SugarBusters forum for a bunch of very supportive women who are all eating that way. Or feel free to PM me if you need help or encouragement.
sounds like a good plan.....certainly can't hurt....you might want to inform your primary doc at some point and he/she could order a bloodwork-up to check your glucose levels too.
Prevention website, type in sugar solution, and 5 quirps come up. Click on the blood sugar quiz and at the top of title you'll see Excerpted from The Sugar Solution (Rodale Inc., 2004), click on that it brings you to the order form. Cheapes I found even to ebay w/no S/H fees for under $25. I've been thru that test so many times thru my teen-young adult, I really hate, I can't even begin to tell you how much and of course when I was pregnant I had to do it again. I know I should, I still have to find a new doctor I'm with a new company with new insurance and I'm really in no hurry to go visit the doc again. I have a weird reaction w/doctor's office's, medical stuff and hospitals all that jazz. To say I wig, is an understatement. I think from all the negative stuff I've gone thru from a young child on, it has made me quite phobic and panicky. I know I need to go, but when you don't have one ready accessible and have to do all the searching again and so forth, it's such a pain. Plus I'm in upstate ny and our plan is with a company called cigna and primary providers are spread out vast and not one is even w/a medical facility I'm familiar with. I know, I know, excuses, excuses, if you knew what I'd been thru with doctors you wouldn't blame me.
Suprasvelte Drops
My doctor diagnosed me with CFS last year. I'm already on meds for depression and sleep and I don't have any pain, so there's nothing else she can do to help me with my fatigue. But I've been exercising in spite of it, and I do feel better when I exercise.
Still, Mel has me motivated to get my butt out of bed next Monday and get to the gym like I planned. Exercise just feels so good afterwards. 
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