Weight Loss Supplement
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Natural weight loss supplements are very popular. They are generally herbs which are marketed with claims to have various positive health effects, including weight loss. Obesity is on the rise in the developed world with 30.5% of US adults being considered obese. People are often looking for a "magic bullet" that they can take in place of dieting and exercise. Unfortunately, there is no such "magic bullet."
 

There are several reasons people may have to seek the use of dietary weight loss supplements. The social stigma of being overweight, looking for a quick and easy way to lose weight, easy access to natural products that do not require a prescription, high powered marketing by supplement manufactures, and the perception that a "natural" product is completely safe are all possibilities as to why weight loss supplements are so popular.

In a 1998 survey, it was found that seven percent of people used over the counter weight loss products. Their use was most among young obese women, of which 28% were using these products. The natural weight loss industry is huge, reaching sales of $1.3 billion in 2001. That year, Metabolife 356 sold $70 million worth of their product.

Unlike prescription drugs, natural weight loss pills do not have to show evidence that they work or that they are even safe to use. This is part of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 in the US.

 

In addition, it is not mandated that manufacturers adhere to good manufacturing practices. Other countries have different laws. In Australia, CAM products must be manufactured under the same code of Good Manufacturing Practice as prescription medicines, but advertisers may make claims without high quality evidence.

The supplements themselves may interact with prescriptions you are currently taking. Because there has not been as much research in this field, unknown interactions may occur. Some natural weight loss supplements may even contain the same or similar chemicals as prescription drugs. Some products may contain sildenafil (Viagra), lovastatin (Mevacor), alprazolam (Xanax), indomethacin (Indocin), and warfarin (Coumadin). Lovastatin is a pregnancy category X drug that is know to be harmful to developing fetuses.

Natural supplements are not necessarily safe because that are "natural." Aristolochic acid is part of a Chinese herbal weight loss product. It has been known to cause kidney failure. Most of these people had to go on dialysis or have a kidney transplant.

Ephedra has been banned for sale by the FDA in the US since April of 2004. It has been linked to high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks, strokes, and seizures. People have died or developed permanent disability as a result. Some of the adverse effects occurred in healthy people taking the recommended dose. Metabolife 356 contains ephedra and was the top selling diet supplement in 2001.

In order for a product to be recommended for an indication, such as weight loss, it must meet three requirements.

Currently, no CAM or natural products can be recommended for weight loss. Well-designed randomized control trials with standardized quality need to be performed before a supplement should be recommended for use. Also, there needs to be more regulation of the dietary supplement industry.

Research in the field of CAM is still young. There are some products that have preliminary evidence that is promising. These include glucomannan, pyruvate, and brindleberry. However, their data are from small studies and still inconclusive.

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