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Many people’s
New Year’s resolutions involve losing weight, and they may be tempted to try
one of the many dietary supplements marketed for weight loss, such as acai,
hoodia, or garcinia
cambogia. However, these supplements don’t work for keeping weight off, and
some are dangerous.
- The FDA banned
the sale of dietary supplements containing ephedra, which were marketed
for weight loss, because of serious health risks, such as heart problems and
even risk of death. Ephedra is also called ma huang.
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Many
ephedra-free supplements are now being sold, but side effects of some of their
ingredients are similar to those of the banned products. Some ephedra-free
supplements also have a lot of caffeine or herbs, such as guarana, that contain
caffeine. The products can cause increased heart rate and abnormal
heart rhythms.
- Be aware that what’s
on the label of dietary supplements may not be what’s in the bottle. Analyses
of supplements, including herbal supplements, sometimes find differences
between labeled and actual ingredients. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) has found weight-loss products tainted with prescription
drug ingredients.
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