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any diet supplements proven to help with weight loss? Q&A from Shape
This is in this month's Shape magazine and I really liked the answer and wanted to share.
Q. I feel like I've tried every dietary supplement known to man, including Hydroxycut, chromium picolinate, and chitosan, but nothing works, despite all the promises. Is there any dietary supplement that actually has been proven to help with safe weight loss? A. "The answer is no" says David Levitsky, Ph.D., professor of nutrition and psychology at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. In the doses recommended, no supplement has been found to be effective for losing weight, Levitsky adds. "When a dose becomes effective in terms of increasing metabolic rate, it becomes dangerous. You can run into heart, blood pressure and other medical problems." Even the risky supplements that actually may promote weight loss, such as ephedra, don't help take off more than a couple of pounds - and even then, they work only in the short term. Levitsky surveyed 150 web sites advertising weight-loss supplements and then reviewed all the published research on the active ingredients found in the supplements. Not a single ingredient lived up to the weight-loss claims advertised. In all cases, either the research cited could not be located in any journal or database, or the studies did not actually prove weight loss. "Everyone's looking for a magic bullet," Levitsky says, "but there is just no substitute for calorie control." ===================================== I thought this statement in particular was worth noting.. In all cases, either the research cited could not be located in any journal or database, or the studies did not actually prove weight loss. It makes you wonder about all of the claims presented in advertisements, that look so reputable! Think twice. |
Suzanne - I haven't read Shape in eons but I find it especially ironic that that appeared in the magazine - as the magazine is OWNED by a supplement company - Weider (who also owns Muscle & Fitness, M&F Hers, Flex, etc.)
Most of the fitness mags out there are in fact owned by supplement companies - for example, Muscle Media and Energy For Women are owned by EAS, etc. I just find it VERY interesting indeed! |
Mrs. Jim, those companies make other supplements than those for weight loss.
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I work from home taking calls for products that people see on TV. Lately, I've been taking a lot of calls for pills like Propolene. I'm giving a script to read and EVEN I don't believe what I'm ready. People are so eager for an easier way. A quick way. I have never found a way other than moderating your diet and your excercise.
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There is no magic pill.
But just once, when someone asks me how I lost 50#, I want to give them a big cheesy wink & say, "Trim Spa, baby!" :lol: |
I agree with what you're saying, there is no miracle pill. However, I have been fat all my life, and I had completely given up on ever losing weight. I didn't diet, didn't exercise and didn't even look in the mirror. I just thought I'd always be fat. Then one day a friend gave me some AM300's. That same week, I joined a gym. I don't know if it was the pills or the one day of exercise, but I lost 10 pounds that week. If the pills didn't work, at least they gave me some added motivation. After that, I've tried ever pill on the market, and none of them worked. Although, some of them made me so quesy from swallowing the huge pills, that I didn't eat.
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What about CortiSlim & UltimayeHGH, they seem different
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What about Corti-Slim & Ultimate-HGH, they seem to be different from the usual weight loss products in their mechanism of action? Any promise here? |
New CortiSlim Study
I just read a new double blind study done with CortiSlim. In a double blind study, there are two identical groups, one that takes the substance being studied, and one that takes a placebo that looks identical but has none of the substance in it. The people don't know which pill they are getting, and neither do the researchers--that's why it's called double blind.
In this study, both groups were told to follow a moderate program of diet and exercise. After 12 weeks, the group taking CortiSlim had lost just under 10 pounds average, and the group taking the placebo had lost just over 1 pound average. I have been taking CortiSlim for 10 weeks, and I have also been on a diet program and walking every day. As I have said in other posts, I think that CortiSlim helps me with the afternoon/evening carbohydrate craving. I don't think that my weight loss is due to the CortiSlim alone, but I feel that it has helped. :) SW: 196 5/24/04 CW: 179 7/28/04 GW: 145 Jay |
No to Cortislim
Sorry to say, Cortislim didn't work for me. After about 3 days I noticed I was getting extremely fatigued about 1 hour after taking it. Even in the morning after sleeping all night. I am not a person who just nods off, but at my desk at work I had trouble keeping my eyes open. I continued to take it 2 times daily, but stopped after like 2 weeks. I wrote to the company and they said some people do get tired and to only use it at dinner time or return it. I split the order with 2 women at work. 1 girl is still on it after like 2 months, no weight loss, but she is calmer. I did sleep more soundly, but I never had trouble sleeping to begin with. 1 of the ingredients is a source of Valium. So I say NO TO CORTISLIM.
Thanks. ;) ;) |
I have to ask where you get the information that CortiSlim is "a source of valium." Valium (diazepam) is a synthetic compound. I've never heard anything like that about it, and I've looked at lots of websites and other information.
It's been worth it to me to try CortiSlim, but clearly it's not for you. People who have been under stress for a long time probably ARE tired--but are kept going by the stress hormones in their system. Of course, there are other ways to reduce stress, such as yoga, exercise, biofeedback, meditation, long walks in the woods, and so forth, which don't involve supplements or drugs. And if I had time for all those things, I would do them, but I would rather not put off losing weight until I have the time....... :) |
Thanks
I wasn't stressed when I started taking Cortislim. I wanted to try it to see if it worked. It didn't. My coworker is still taking it, and she hasn't lost anything. It just makes her sleep better at night. The ingredient I was referring to is called vanadyl sufate (5mcg of vanadium). That is what made me tired 1 hour after taking it. I wouldn't recommend this product as it is costly. Yoga, deep breathing exercise, walking and relaxing music are great for stress, but I am not under stress. So I guess won't believe the advertising of most pills. They don't really work, diet, exercise and good old laughter work best. :)
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Dr Jamie McMannus "Personal Guide to Wellness" and Dr David Heber "The L.A.Shape Diet" both reccomend meal replacement shakes and supplements for weightloss. They have many proven studies from UCLA Center for Human Dutrition that they are safe and effective
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But I agree, there is no magic pill! |
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This is a bit of a generalization. Some meal replacement shakes and some supplements are safe, some are not. Taking milk thristle to help your liver in fat metabolism and taking Hydroxycut are not the same thing. I do take some supplements, mainly liver support herbs and aminoacids, as well as essential fatty acids and a multi, but I steer clear of all those "fat burners". I once read this sentence, that really stuck with me: "In your quest to lose weight, you'll have to give up some things. Your health shoulnd't be one of them". Amen! :) |
I love all the fitness magazines because I find the articles fun to read. But if you tore out all those stupid ads, you'd have maybe 10 pages of a magazine. It's so frustrating at times!
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That just didnt sound right!
In this study, both groups were told to follow a moderate program of diet and exercise. After 12 weeks, the group taking CortiSlim had lost just under 10 pounds average, and the group taking the placebo had lost just over 1 pound average.
They only lost one pound in 12 weeks? Does that sound really werid to anyone else? :) |
Yes, it does sound weird, but they were busted for using false claims, and that must be one of them. 10 pounds in 12 weeks is a healthy rate of weight loss easily obtained by following a reduced calorie diet and an exercise program. Losing only 1 pound in 12 weeks should indicate that the group either didn't follow a diet and exercise program, or have some sort of health problem that affects their metabolism, and they need to see their physicians to treat it.
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I was watching this show on FitTv. . .I can't remember what it's called, but it comes on at 4pm on Sunday and has these "agebusters" trying to be healthier/younger looking by eating and exercising right. One of the women on the show was taking 2 diet supplements, and her dr/coach told her she had to give them up for the same reasons outlined in the Shape article. She STILL didn't stop using them until she heard about an athlete who'd died because of them. When she did, she was in bed for 40 hours with a migraine, and fighting other withdrawal symptoms for a while. That was a really graphic reminder to me of both how addictive those are and how dangerous. As an aside, I don't think I have a problem with Shape blasting supplements then using their ads. . .as an adult, I can choose not to take them, and it keeps the price down. |
I'd have to say that I don't personally think any pill or supplement will work...Cortislim or whathaveya. Because the principal they work on is boosting metabolism or curbing appetite. Well everyone's metabolism is different. So it might boost one person and not another. An aside regarding this "double blind" study. Losing 10 pounds as a group is not a miracle. The whole 10 pounds could have been one individual more motivated to lose than anyone else. But they never give that kind of information for some reason.
The other reason they don't work is that they are not a lifetime choice. Can they help one person with the right metabolism to lose weight? Yes. Will that person keep it off? Most likely not. Unless they're committed to taking the supplement for life, they will still be eating and getting the same amount of exercise as they'd always done before taking the supplement. |
My doctor wants me to try phentramine... what's the word on that? I told him "no" because I want to do it right and keep it off forever, but he feels that for a month or two it is a very useful tool to give you a kick start. What do you think?
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Were they adamant about you taking it or felt it was ok for you to do it without it as long as you were really going to stick with it? If a doctor really thinks you should try something, they may have a very good reason for it.
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No, my doctor just offered it as a suggestion if I wanted it, mentioning that it has been helpful for other people, but he felt that I had a good attitude. I was just wondering if it really does help or if it is like everything else - it works while you are taking it.
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This article is really something to be in that magazine. Very interesting to say the least. |
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I agree...no such thing as miracle cures. However, I have recently read studies that talk about how having extra fat actually makes you FATTER! Here's an email I got from a good friend (who is educated and works in the medical profession and even spent years working in a doctor's office who specialized in women and weight loss): You know how people keep telling you that you eat for emotional reasons and that's why you're overweight? And then you argue that "NO, I eat because it tastes good", etc.? Well, new research shows that fat is more of an organ than they thought...and an endocrine organ at that. That's why women who are overweight tend to have more problems with their menstrual cycles. ALSO...and here's why you'll appreciate this at least a little bit...they've found that the fat you already carry, when in excess, actually stimulates communication with the brain, telling the brain to eat more. The fat, as opposed to the other organs and natural brain signals, may actually be what's causing those who are already overweight to continue to overeat and maintain and add to the quantity of fat?! Go figure...the fat makes you fatter?! Damn stuff!! That's where they are really looking at medications to help block those signals to the brain and let the body take back its own way of stimulating appetite and hunger instead of the signals getting through to the brain from the fat. She has suggested that I talk to a doctor who specializes in weight loss (not just a dietician or nutritionist that pushes the food pyramid at you all day long) to see if perhaps there is a SAFE prescription drug out there that will control the messages sent by fat to the brain. Don't get me wrong, diet and exercise are still a necessity even if there is a drug (like I said, no miracle cures), but something that works with the chemistry of your body rather than an over-the-counter caffeine-filled appetite suppressant may be helpful in assisting some of us to lose the fat that is making us fatter! If anyone else knows anything about this or has any imformation or suggestions to offer, I would certainly be interested. |
i LIKE THE ONE A day weight smart vitamins..
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Does anyone have any information on physedge diet pills?
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I am thinking about starting the physedge diet pill program, does anyone have any advice to give on these pills?
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I just looked at their site. WOW! That stuff is expensive! For $379 you get a 3 month supply of 1) multi-vitamin, 2) a themogenic, 3) a "carb and fat blocker", and 4) a night-time fizzy drink that is supposed to make your body release HGH (human growth hormone). You can buy 3 month's supply of multi-vitamins and thermogenics far cheaper at GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, etc. There really isn't any such thing as an over-the-counter carb or fat blocker, and a drug that actually caused release of HGH would be by prescription and incredibly expensive. Did you read the beginning of this thread about the dangers and problems with using thermogenics? What the site doesn't mention is food or exercise. No matter what ingredients are in the two mystery pills, you still have to eat less and exercise more.
If you are still determined to used thermogenics, I'd suggest going to one of the above stores and buying a good multi-vitamin and any of the zillions of thermogenics on the market. Get a small bottle...you may not like the effects. Or you could take a good multi-vitamin and follow a reasonable eating and exercising plan like you'll probably find tucked in with the bottles of mystery pills :) Mel |
this is why they are not FDA approved. because then they would have to prove that they actually worked to do what they were claiming.
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What seems so obvious to me is that when they find one of these things that works it will be Headline News 24/7. The company will not have to advertise. People will beat down their door to get it.
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http://www.obesity-news.com/inuse.htm
Nah, the idea that there are 'no' working weight loss drugs is pure fiction. There may be a shortage of safe, affordable weight loss drugs but even with that there are still some that are shown to work. As a society we are biased against weight loss drugs, considering them a form of cheating. However drugs to cope with mental illness are considered cheating by alot of people too. At the end of the day you have to make your own decision. |
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&dopt=Citation That study found 2x the weight loss with intermittent cimetidine usage. http://pharminfo.8media.org/pubs/msb/cimetidine.html That study found 5x the weight loss with constant cimetidine usage. Generic Tagamet is only about $8/month at walmart but how many people do you know who know about these things? |
I personally don't believe that ANY weight loss drug can be considered truly effective unless it promotes weight loss for everyone who tries it. And even Tylenol doesn't work the same for everyone, so why would a weightloss drug? We're all different. So while some may actually notice weight loss from such drugs, others won't, and all the studies in the world won't change that for them. This is partly why they won't make headline news as well. Because for every person who says they lost weight on some new miracle cure, there is another who says they didn't. So it's word-against-word and still not proven enough for the media to run with it and proclaim it a complete success.
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From what I remember from pharmacology class when companies want to determine a 'recommended dosage' of a drug they do a test where they start off giving everyone low doses. Then they increase the dosages to try to find the sweet spot where you get good effects but low side effects for as many people as possible. However there are always people who get a major reaciton from a tiny dose and people who get no reaction unless they take mega doses. The recommended dose falls in between where the majority get good effects and low side effects. This is probably why aspirin comes in 325mg tablets and prozac is 20mg tablets, when they determined the dose that was the median area. But some people get major depression treatment on 5mg and some needed 80mg. And some didn't react at all but got good results on paxil or wellbutrin. We'd have to throw out pharmacology in general if we wanted everyone to react to a drug. But the studies I listed were among 55-60 people but they showed reasonably uniform responses in placebo vs cimetidine. Its probably not headline news because nobody knows about it. |
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I'm really not trying to be a witch here, just playing a bit of devil's advocate and trying to understand :devil: I personally feel that there really are some diet pills that can help people get a bit of a jump start to their weight loss when used ALONG WITH a more sensible diet and perhaps some exercise. We all know there's no miracle drug--unfortunately, there is nothing that will allow me to eat my McDonald's and Wendy's and Burger King for 3 meals a day, 7 days a week and still lose weight (or at least not die from a heart attack!) :lol: |
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Like someone else said, a working diet drug would be a godsend in part just because it would push all the charlatans out of the market. She made a reference to the fact that in the 80s there were tons of quack treatments for baldness, but once real treatments made it to market the quack treatments stopped existing. A working obesity drug that is well known, safe, affordable and easily attainable would get rid of the cortislim con artists who prey on desperate people to rob them of rent and grocery money. |
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What I'd like to see is a drug that makes moderate lifestyle changes more effective. ie, a drug where all you have to do is eat healthier and exercise and you'll lose weight and keep it off without having to become overly anal about food, become hungry, deprive yourself or obsess over weight, food or exercise. I know some long term maintainers and they only maintain by becoming so intolerant of bodyfat that they are a chore to be around. They are hateful, angry and bitter because that is the only way they know to keep their motivation high enough to keep the weight off. A drug that just lets you eat a healthier diet and maintain the loss would be a godsend. In the long run people are going to want a drug that lets them lose weight w/o healthier lifestyles. But I think right now most people would be happy with a drug that made reasonable lifestyle changes effective enough to result in permanent weight loss. |
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