Are diet pills worth it?

Sean Vander Veer, RD, Registered Dietitian
Team Elite Staff

 

If you are reading this article you have either considered taking diet pills, are currently or have taken them or know someone who is and are concerned. Well truth be told, you should be concerned! Diet pills and dietary supplements (yes, even vitamins) are not all they are cracked up to be. On top of them not containing what they state, some supplements have been found to contain ingredients that are actually harmful to your health!

All types of people take diet pills, from those who just want to lose some quick pounds around the midsection for an upcoming event to bodybuilders who need to look absolutely shredded on stage. However, proper precautions need to take place when considering supplements like a diet pill. The best things you can do are:

1. Don’t take diet pills! This is not a long term, sustainable approach to weight loss and you will wind up back where you started, or worse!
2. Do your homework! If you are going to take pills/supplements, it is imperative that you research them before just popping them into your mouth. Counsumerlab.org is an independent lab that tests the ingredients in supplements- they are not paid by the supplement company so you can expect real, honest information.

Let’s dive a little deeper into the problems associated with diet pills!

Does not contain what is stated:

A recent article posted in the NY Times states that studies were conducted on popular store brands of herbal supplements at the retailers — Walmart, Walgreens, Target and GNC.  Roughly four out of five of the products contained none of the herbs listed on their labels. In fact, many of the supplements contained little more than cheap fillers like rice and houseplants, or substances that could be hazardous to people with food allergies. Sounds amazing, right? You’re paying $5 a bottle for powered rice…woohoo!

Contaminated pills:

Many of you know that the FDA does not get involved with testing supplements until there are enough adverse effects reported. Recently the FDA did get involved and tested over 70 diet pills and lab tests revealed the presence of the following substances: sibutramine, fenproporex, fluoxetine, bumetanide, furosemide, phenytoin, rimonabant, cetilistat, and phenolphthalein in weight loss products being sold over-the-counter. The tainted products are listed below in alphabetical order along with the undeclared drug and/or chemical ingredient. Check to see if you have taken or are considering taking any of the following:

Product(s) Name

1. 2 Day Diet – sibutramine
2. 2 Day Diet Slim Advance – sibutramine
3. 2x Powerful Slimming – sibutramine
4. 3 Day Diet – sibutramine
5. 3 Days Fit – sibutramine
6. 3x Slimming Power – sibutramine, phenytoin
7. 5x Imelda Perfect Slimming – sibutramine
8. 7 Day Herbal Slim – sibutramine
9. 7 Days Diet – sibutramine
10. 7 Diet – sibutramine
11. 7 Diet Day/Night Formula – sibutramine
12. 8 Factor Diet – sibutramine, phenolphthalein
13. Eight Factor Diet – sibutramine
14. 21 Double Slim – sibutramine
15. 24 Hours Diet – sibutramine, phenolphthalein
16. 999 Fitness Essence – sibutramine
17. BioEmagrecim, sample 1 – fenproporex
    BioEmagrecim, sample 2 – fluoxetine, furosemide
18. Body Creator – sibutramine
19. Body Shaping – sibutramine
20. Body Slimming – sibutramine
21. Cosmo Slim – sibutramine
22. Extrim Plus – sibutramine, phenytoin
23. Extrim Plus 24 Hour Reburn – sibutramine
24. Fasting Diet – sibutramine
25. Fatloss Slimming – sibutramine, phenolphthalein
26. GMP – sibutramine
27. Herbal Xenicol – cetilistat
28. Imelda Fat Reducer – sibutramine
29. Imelda Perfect Slim – sibutramine, phenolphthalein
30. JM Fat Reducer – sibutramine
31. Lida DaiDaihua – sibutramine
32. Meili – sibutramine
33. Meizitang – sibutramine
34. Miaozi MeiMiaoQianZiJiaoNang – sibutramine
35. Miaozi Slim Capsules – sibutramine
36. Natural Model – sibutramine
37. Perfect Slim – sibutramine
38. Perfect Slim 5x – sibutramine, phenolphthalein
39. Perfect Slim Up – sibutramine
40. Phyto Shape – rimonabant
41. Powerful Slim – sibutramine
42. ProSlim Plus – sibutramine
43. Reduce Weihgt – sibutramine
44. Royal Slimming Formula – sibutramine, phenolphthalein
45. Sana Plus – sibutramine
46. Slim 3 in 1 – sibutramine
47. Slim 3 in 1 Extra Slim Formula – sibutramine
48. Slim 3 in 1 Extra Slim Waist Formula – sibutramine
49. Slim 3 in 1 M18 Royal Diet – sibutramine
50. Slim 3 in 1 Slim Formula – sibutramine
51. Slim Burn – sibutramine
52. Slim Express 4 in 1 – sibutramine
53. Slim Express 360 – sibutramine
54. *Slim Fast – sibutramine
55. Slim Tech – sibutramine
56. Slim Up – sibutramine
57. Slim Waist Formula – sibutramine
58. Slim Waistline – sibutramine
59. Slimbionic- sibutramine
60. Sliminate – sibutramine
61. Slimming Formula – sibutramine
62. Somotrim – sibutramine
63. Starcaps – bumetanide
64. Super Fat Burner – sibutramine
65. Superslim – sibutramine, phenolphthalein
66. Super Slimming – sibutramine
67. Trim 2 Plus – sibutramine
68. Triple Slim – sibutramine
69. Venom Hyperdrive 3.0 – sibutramine
70. Waist Strength Formula – sibutramine
71. Xsvelten – sibutramine
72. Zhen de Shou – sibutramine, phenolphthalein

 

I’m sure many of these substances you don’t even know what they are or what harmful effects they may cause so let me fill you in a little bit. How does significant fluid and electrolyte losses which can lead to dehydration, tachycardia, and heart attack sound to you? Or how about fat malabsorption, which can lead to deficiencies of fat soluble vitamins- vitamins A, D, E, and K?! Gallstones and kidneys stones anyone? Or perhaps failing a drug test at work because your diet pill contains amphetamines? These are just some of the problems you will find with contaminated diet pills, along with seizures, GI problems, food drug interactions and food allergies.

If you are looking at supplements or diet pills that state any of the following on the bottle, just toss it:

• Promises of an “easy” fix for problems like excess weight, hair loss, or impotency.
• Claims such as “scientific breakthrough,” “miraculous cure,” “secret ingredient,” and “ancient remedy.”
• Impressive-sounding terms, such as “hunger stimulation point” and “thermogenesis” for a weight loss product.
• Claims that the product is safe because it is “natural.”If you are trying to lose weight, your best bet is the good old-fashioned method of working hard and cleaning up your plate. Your body will not burn fat if it is constantly being starved. Do you need help putting together a nutrition and training plan to help you see results? That’s what I am here for and would love to help you reach your goals in a safe and effective manner. Visit my website and set up a free No Obligation Consultation with me so we can discuss your goals and how we can get you there!

Stay safe and healthy!

 

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/03/sidebar-whats-in-those-supplements/?_r=0

 

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/QuestionsAnswers/ucm136187.htm

http://elitenutritionandperformance.com/consult

 

 

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