Discover the facts about common weight loss supplements, including which ones might actually work.
Let's talk about
weight loss supplements. You've probably seen those appealing ads as you scroll through your Facebook or Instagram feeds or while shopping online. You know the ones: they tell you that weight loss is no problem at all as long as you buy the right product. All you have to do is take this pill or chug that drink and the pounds will magically slide off. Its Magic!
If you're in the market for a
weight loss supplement, there is no shortage of options. In 2022 alone, weight loss supplement makers in the United States made over
$35 billion and the numbers continue to rise. So how do you sort through all of the ads, the claims to find a weight loss supplement that works? To make your research a bit easier, we've listed some of the most popular weight loss supplements along with additional information about effectiveness and potential side effects.
What Are Weight Loss Supplements?
Weight loss supplements are tablets, pills, or powders that are consumed in addition to your regular diet. Manufactures or Brands that sell these products say that they can help you shed lbs faster and easier than diet and exercise alone. Sounds amazing, right? There are different ways that the products claim to make weight loss happen.
Types of Supplements
Common Weight Loss Supplements
Supplement makers use many different ingredients to create their weight-loss products. A mix of minerals, vitamins, herbs, and sometimes fiber are blended and usually processed into powder or tablets. The NIH provides guidance to consumers about how different supplements work, about the potential side effects, and about how effective they are likely to be.
Green Tea
Green tea and green tea extract products often claim to work as a fat-burner, fat blocker, and some say it can cause your body to make less fat. The NIH says it can help you lose small amounts of weight, but can also cause constipation, abdominal discomfort, nausea, liver damage, and high blood pressure.
Green Coffee Bean Extract
Supplements that contain green coffee bean extracts often claim that they work by decreasing fat accumulation. The NIH reports it can help you lose small amounts of weight but that there are very few high quality studies supporting this benefit. The most commonly reported side effects include headaches and urinary tract infections.
Bitter Orange (Synephrine)
Makers of bitter orange supplements claim that it is an appetite stopper that also burns calories and fat. The NIH says that it may increase calories burned, but carries some substantial risks. After taking bitter orange, people have reported severe side effects including chest pain, anxiety, headaches, muscle and bone pain, and high heart rate and blood pressure.
Orlistat (alli)
Orlistat is a pharmaceutical drug that is sold under the brand name alli and regulated by the FDA as a medication. Orlistat works as a fat blocker and fat burner. According to the NIH, alli can help you lose weight in conjunction with diet and exercise. But side effects can include fatty stools, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and anal fissures.
Garcinia Cambogia
Garcinia cambogia is a fruit that is grown in warm climates. It contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA), a chemical that may have an effect on appetite. Garcinia cambogia supplements may act as an appetite regulator and may slow weight gain, but the NIH found it has little to no effect. It can also cause headaches, nausea, and digestive and respiratory symptoms.
Hydroxycut (Robusta Coffee Extract)
Hydroxycut is a combination supplement that works as a fat blocker. Its primary ingredient is robusta coffee extract (C. canephora robusta), but it also includes apple cider vinegar, plum, baobab extract, cardamom, and caffeine. According to the Hydroxycut website, it can help you lose weight. No reliable research has been done to measure how well Hydroxycut works, but many studies and case reviews have found that it may injure your liver if you take too much.
Glucomannan
Glucomannan is a type of fiber. Supplements that contain this fiber often claim to absorb water in the gut to help you feel full, and thus work as an appetite blocker. The NIH reports it has little to no effect and can cause diarrhea, constipation, and excess gas.
Caffeine
Caffeine, commonly found in coffee, soda, and many types of tea, can help you to burn a few extra calories. So the NIH concluded that it may help you lose a little bit of weight or reduce weight gain slightly, but your body adjusts to it quickly, so its effect lessens over time. It can also cause shakiness and nervousness. At higher doses, you may experience nausea, vomiting, a fast heartbeat.
Do Weight Loss Supplements Work?
The promises made by some weight loss supplement companies sound appealing. But the science supporting these claims is often inconsistent (in terms of methodology and results) and limited in scope. While it's tempting to take a pill for weight loss rather than using traditional methods such as diet and exercise, there are some good reasons to be skeptical. It is suggested by many experts that a realistic adjustment to a healthier lifestyle, healthier foods, smaller portions, reasonable exercise can do wonders. This change supported by specific Supplements that support you in this healthier journey may be worth exploring.
Why Explore Weight Loss Supplements At All?
Although a lot of the science validating results are lagging, there are some promising trends. Pay attention to testimonials. Yes some may be fraudulent, but with some additional research you will find trends that will influence your decision.
Lastly if they offer guarantees that mitigate your financial risk such as “Money Back Guarantees” this may help in your decision.
Note: Read the details to ensure that if the product does not provide you the results promised, you will get your money back.
Should You Try a Weight Loss Supplement?
Only you and your healthcare provider can answer this question. Your health journey is your own. Speak with your provider and come up with a plan for your health. If part of your journey includes losing weight, you may want to try weight loss supplements.
Remember to double-check your supplement choice with your provider before you take it. Also, make sure to eat a healthy diet and add exercise to your routine alongside your supplement. Adjust your plan as needed, and try to enjoy the journey!
Here are a few of our Supplement Recommendations
At Tabellari, our staff is dedicated to providing factual, evidence-based information about health and beauty solutions. Each review is verified to be validated by actual consumers, not bots. Because when it comes to health and beauty tips, you deserve the best.
CLICK HERE- Reviewed Supplement Recommendations
Note: Since supplements are not considered medications by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) they do not oversee them the same way. This means that if you buy a bottle of weight-loss tablets with A, B, and C ingredients, one pill may have a ton of A and B, while another pill from the same bottle might have more C than anything else. If you don't know the ingredients in a pill you are taking, it can be hard to understand how it might interact with your health or with other medications or supplements you might be taking.