Does Weight Loss Supplements Really Work?

It is hard to believe and resist when it is advertised that just taking some pills & supplements can help you lose weight. But do they really work? First, we need to understand what these weight supplements are that claim to help you lose weight.

Weight loss supplements 

These weight loss supplements are sold as a health aid, and their common ingredients are vitamins, minerals, fibres, caffeine, and herbs. These supplements are not medicines and don’t treat or cure any disease. When these weight supplements are advertised as dietary supplements, they are considered food instead of drugs, so they don’t require any Food and drug administration (FDA) regulations.

Are they being regulated?

As mentioned earlier, these supplements don’t require approval from the U.S. FDA since they are advertised as dietary supplements. But if these supplements are harmful, the FDA can warn against them and ask them to withdraw their product from the market.

The truth about weight loss supplements

These weight loss supplements are rolled out in the market on the premise that they will aid in weight loss without any exercise. When the study was carried out, it was found that most clinical trials were biased to claim weight loss. Another review found that taking these weight loss pills does not help meaningful weight loss.

The FDA also mentions that many dietary supplements have strong biological effects, which may conflict with your medication for other medical conditions. Sometimes these supplements containing hidden drugs are falsely marketed as nutritional supplements putting consumers at even more risk. According to Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), amended in 1994 FDA does not hold responsibility for these dietary supplements. The fault lies solely with the company claiming that these supplements are effective in promoting weight loss, an assertion accepted by numerous other companies in the weight loss supplement industry, thus making the sector worth an estimated $6.5 billion in 2020.

The risk of taking these weight loss supplements

Consumption of some of these supplements is also linked with health risks. A published study mentioned that 1000 people aged 25 and younger experienced health issues related to weight loss supplements.

Read more– Different weight loss exercises

Takeaway Message

You should be aware that the FDA regulates these weight loss supplements; hence sometimes it takes a lot of work to differentiate which brands are of good quality and which might put you at risk. You should have enough information to distinguish between the two. You can get free teleconsultation from our expert doctors once you order medicine on our online pharmacy – Truemeds or you can also download our Truemeds app. You can avail of branded and generic medicines by uploading your prescription on Truemeds. When placing an order for medications online, you may save more money by selecting alternative or generic medicine advised by Truemed’s expert doctors. You can save up to 72% on your purchase and get free home delivery* pan India.

Frequently asked questions

Disclaimer – The information given in this article is true to our best knowledge. Still, we recommend you consult your healthcare professional before practising any information mentioned in this article.

References

• https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/fda-101-dietary-supplements
• https://www.fda.gov/drugs/frequently-asked-questions-popular-topics/questions-and-answers-about-fdas-initiative-against-contaminated-weight-loss-products
• https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(19)30163-6/fulltext