It’s no secret that there are literally hundreds and thousands of weight loss pills and diet supplements on the market these days.
And the pills and supplements seem to be so expensive, we can’t possibly try even a handful of them to see if they actually work for us or if they are just a fad that makes your wallet lighter instead of your weight.
I have tried a handful of them but didn’t think you would want to take my word for it; so here is the research and opinions of the doctors at the Mayo Clinic.
Most diet pills and weight loss supplements that have been tried are available over the counter at your local drugstore and even at your local grocery store. The long term effects of any weight loss supplements are not known only the current side effects.
There is a dietary supplement called ‘Bitter Orange’ that many of you may have heard of or even tried. Bitter Orange has been marketed as today’s ephedra, which if you remember from years ago ephedra was touted as being extremely dangerous and even causing heart problems in some people who took the supplement.
Bitter orange claims to increase the number of calories burned, however this claim has yet to be proven.
Chitosan is a health supplement that claims to block the absorption of fat from the diet. It has been reported that the product is relatively safe, however may cause constipation and bloating.
Chromium has been in the media lately as a supplement that reduces body fat and builds muscle. Once again the long-term effects are unknown; however it is reported to be relatively safe yet unlikely to cause weight loss in the individuals who take this weight loss supplement.
There is an herbal supplement called Country mallow. This is actually heartleaf and claims to decrease appetite and increase the number of calories burned. The product is touted as likely to be unsafe and should be avoided. Country mallow is also similar to ephedra.
Ephedra diet pill causes high blood pressure, strokes, seizures, heart attacks, heart rate irregularities and sleeplessness and has even been touted to cause death. Why would anyone want to take the ephedra weight loss supplement knowing all of these potential side effects?
While there is limited evidence to support the claim that it increases calorie and fat metabolism as well as decreasing the appetite, green tea extract may also contain a large amount of caffeine.
