Investigating diet aids

What will it take to lose the extra weight you're carrying around? Is there a way to do it quicker, more easily. If you believe the infomercials, ads, and commercials that say a muscle stimulator or a diet pill will help you lose weight, you might be interested in a slightly used bridge in Brooklyn that's just in your price range.

"Lose up to two inches in one hour."
"Eat all the foods you love and still lose weight"
"Take it off! And keep it off!"

The claim to lose weight or inches fast and effortlessly is seductive. But is a diet aid really the miracle you're looking for?

The simple answer is no. Many diet aids have been debunked, taken off the market, and otherwise discredited. Some can have dangerous side effects; others are simply worthless. Occasionally you might find one that helps — or seems to help. But the weight loss often isn't permanent.

What does work?
The simple fact is — eating less and exercising more makes you lose weight. According to all the experts, weight loss is a matter of burning more calories than you take in. That requires careful attention to food intake ("calories in") and physical activity ("calories out").

And, the experts agree, there's no miracle, no magic pill, to help you.

Samuel Benjamin, MD, MD (H), or "Dr. Sam" as he's affectionately known, specializes in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and serves as the corporate medical director of integrative health strategies for Humana. Dr. Sam advises against looking for a quick fix to a weight problem. Dr. Sam — who recently lost 100 pounds — is a big fan of exercise and a low-calorie diet to lose weight over time.

"There's no mystique surrounding weight loss. You just have to 'bite the bullet'- as I finally did in my life — and make a permanent change."

Dr. Sam says — if your goal is to be healthy — exercise is an even more important choice than weight loss for the mild to moderately overweight person. "Exercise trumps weight loss in terms of decreasing your risk for heart disease, and, in some cases, for cancer. The combination of the two — weight loss and exercise — decreases your risk factors even more."

So cut those calories and get moving. And forget the diet aids. "We have no idea of the long-term side effects of those products," Dr. Sam says.

What diet aids are available?
The simple fact is — eating less and exercising more makes you lose weight. According to all the experts, weight loss is a matter of burning more calories than you take in. That requires careful attention to food intake ("calories in") and physical activity ("calories out").

• Electronic Muscle Stimulators (EMS) are used in physical therapy treatment, but should not be promoted for weight loss and body toning, according to the FDA, which said, "No EMS devices have been cleared at this time for weight loss, girth reduction, or for obtaining 'rock hard' abs." If used incorrectly, they can cause electrical shock and burns. But then, you knew there was no real substitute for 100 sit-ups a night, right?
• Diet patches, worn on the skin, are not proven to be safe or effective.
• Fat blockers allegedly flush fat out of the body by absorbing fat in the stomach and forcing it to be excreted. The FTC has brought legal action against several marketers of these pills for false claims, saying, "No fat blocker can block enough fat or calories to cause lots of weight loss. Even legitimate fat blockers must be used with a reduced-calorie diet to work."
• Diet pills that claim either to curb appetite or let the dieter eat as much as — or more than — normal and still lose weight just don't work.
• Body wraps that claim to "melt" off your fat in a short time. They might be worn around the waist, hips, or thighs, or cover the entire body. They remove fluids, which you replace as soon as you eat or drink. The FDA has taken action against manufacturers of these products for unsubstantiated claims. Also, rapid fluid loss is potentially dangerous because it upsets the balance of electrolytes and causes severe dehydration.
• Starch blockers allegedly block or impede starch digestion and thus help in weight control and weight reduction. The FDA says starch blockers are dangerous drugs, rather than diet aids, and has banned their sale.
• Appetite-suppressing eyeglasses are color-tinted eyeglasses that supposedly suppress appetite. "There is no evidence these work," according to the FDA.
• Ear devices, such as weight-loss earrings, supposedly stimulate acupuncture points, thereby controlling hunger. These are not proven effective, according to the FDA.
• Appetite suppressants are available in any drug store or grocery store. Some contain aloe, fiber, or caffeine (a diuretic) and phenylpropanolamine (PPA), an ingredient used in cough and cold medicines. No studies show these products will produce permanent weight loss. In fact, studies have shown that once you quit taking suppressants, you'll likely gain back the weight you lost and put on a few more pounds.
• Herbal products — certain ingredients in herbal diet aids, including chaparral, comfrey, yohimbe, lobelia, germander, willow bark, jin bu huan, stephania and magnolia, amino acids such as L-tryptophan and phenylalanine have been shown to cause problems.
• Glucomannan is a plant root touted as a weight-loss product. Ads claim it speeds ups digestion and causes many calories to pass out of the system still undigested. The FDA says it has no proof this is true.
• Spirulina, a species of blue-green algae, has not been proven effective for losing weight, according to the FDA.
• Ephedra and bitter orange. In 2004, the FDA took off the market an ingredient in popular dietary supplements called ephedra or Ma huang, which often causes harmful side effects. Today, if you find a weight-loss product marked "ephedra-free," you're probably dealing with bitter orange, which has some of the same problems ephedra had. If you have high blood pressure or other heart-related ailments, avoid it.
• HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) injections. The FDA and the American Medical Association claim this urine from pregnant women is useless for weight loss. The FDA has not approved HCG as either safe or effective in treatment of obesity or weight control.

Weight-loss programs
Choosing the right weight-loss program is half the battle in losing weight and keeping it off. The Public Health Service of the National Institutes of Health recommends asking the following questions before beginning any weight-loss program:

• Are food choices flexible, and do they include all the nutrients I need?
• Are counselors available to help me change my eating habits and lifestyle, as well as deal with stress and avoid slipping into old habits?
• Are qualified professionals on the staff — such as nutritionists, registered dietitians, doctors, nurses, psychologists, and exercise physiologists?
• Does a doctor perform an initial evaluation to identify health problems, medications, and weight loss goals?
• If I plan to lose more than 15 to 20 pounds and use a low-calorie liquid diet, will I have another evaluation by a doctor during or after the program?
• Do you teach long-term strategies to keep the weight off? Do you offer long-term support?
• Will a doctor help me set my weight loss goals?
• Do you take into account the foods I like and my lifestyle?
• What percentage of people complete the program?
• What is the average weight loss among people who finish the program?
• What percentage of people have problems or side effects? What are they?
• Are there fees or costs for additional items, such as dietary supplements?
• Is it nutritionally balanced with foods from the major food groups?
• Does it include foods I like and can eat for the rest of my life?
• Can I buy the foods in my grocery store?
• Can I eat my favorite foods?
• Can I lose weight safely and effectively?
• Do you encourage me to exercise regularly?

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Bottom Line:
Taking control of your weight loss means giving up the idea of quick fixes, miracle solutions, and diet aids, and embracing the only proven way to lose weight: Take in fewer calories (through a low-calorie diet) than you use (through exercise).

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