Are Weight Loss Supplements Effective And Safe To Use?

The main problem with these over the counter dietary supplements is that there is a lack of research concerning their efficacy and safety. They are regarded as "natural" or "food supplements" because they are not dealt with by the FDA (Foods and Drug Administration). Rather, they are approved by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). The FDA approves a drug after conducting multi-step clinical trials on it for its safety, usefulness, effective dose and the way it interacts with other drugs. The DSHEA however, doesn’t do that.

A typical example when unknown effects are possible is a case when a combination of botanical constituents or a herbal combination is used together in some supplements. Combined action of all these constituents on the body is hardly ever studied properly, let alone that some individual ingredients need to be studied better.  This is a strong argument against the use of supplements.

Also, there is no sufficient evidence available at present to recommend the use of weight loss supplements. A combination of Ephedra-caffeine was found to be effective but it has been banned by the FDA for the adverse effects associated with its use. Chitosan and guar gum have not been that effective and the effects of long term use of chromium are still not known. Caffeine, capsaicin and fiber have little effect except when consumed in the whole food.

It is important that physicians ask their patients about the use of any supplements before prescribing any medicines and closely monitor the effects of any of the supplements being used by the patients. The synergistic effect of these supplements cannot be ignored, but very little data is available in their support.

Reported Side Effects Of Dietary Supplements

Research studies conducted to check the widely-used supplement "Hydroxycut" containing Garcinia cambogia have shown cases of hepatotoxicity in consumers. It has been suggested that stricter checks be performed for the supplements before they come to the market. Ephedra is another commonly used constituent of weight loss supplements. It has been found, however, that ephedra-free supplements have a better hemodynamic effect on the health compared to those that contain it.

See Also: Magnesium for Weight Loss: Does It Really Work?

It is very tempting simply to take some pills instead of doing all this hard work. Unfortunately, the scientific data to support the manufacturer’s claims are often nowhere to be seen, and the safety of weight loss supplements is not particularly well studied. A lot of research support is required to prove that these supplements actually aid in weight loss and are also safe to use. FDA and other authorities should take steps to approve these supplements before they become available for public use.