Is Losing Weight With Supplements a Risk Worth Taking?

Losing weight is the mantra at the beginning of a new year, and it is most certainly one of the most commonly searched terms on the Internet. Perhaps not surprisingly, there is an entire cottage industry that has sprung up to aide those in need of a bit of help with their weight loss. Television and also print ads – as well as online flashing banner ads that are hard to ignore – claim that with the help of a pill, patch, fizz tab, or drink, the dieter can lose weight virtually while sleeping. In some cases, these claims are bordering on the incredulous, especially when marketers suggest that diet and exercise do not have to factor into a weight loss program at all.

It is noteworthy that there are indeed weight loss supplements that make it easier to lose weight. As a matter of fact, some dieters swear that using such weigh loss dietary supplementation actually increases their overall health while they are actually working hard at losing weight. Unfortunately, it is hard to separate the wheat from the chaff, and there are a number of highly marketed dietary supplements which will have little to no effect on a dieter. Worse yet, some of these weight loss supplements may actually perform as promised, but in so doing they could potentially gravely harm your health through the use of substances banned in the United States.

Since the weight loss industry is such a huge business in the U.S., there is a larger than normal number of scam artists at work as well. This makes it hard for consumers to discern which supplements are safe, work well, perform as promised, or are simply not worth the hard earned money. If you research weight loss supplements, you are almost always treated to websites that contain a lot of fluff, very little – if any – scientific studies, and most certainly no Food and Drug Administration information. Complicating matters is the fact that weight loss supplements do not work in the same manner for each and every dieter. While your friend may be swearing by a certain supplement, you might be disappointed to find out that for you it is doing virtually nothing at all.

This has led many a dieter to look to the Jonny-come-lately weight loss supplements. Whatever the current fad is online or in print, is most likely going to be the kind of product hopeful dieters will gamble on in their attempts to lose weight with the least amount of fuss and effort. This leads to a significant weight loss in the wallet, but may have little or nor effect on the waistline, hips, and buttocks. As a matter of fact, family doctors warn day in and day out to stay away from multi level marketers who will promise the blue off the sky in an attempt to sell their wares.

They suggest that anyone considering the purchase and use of weight loss supplements should request a complete list of ingredients from the manufacturer, and then take it to a doctor. The physician can research the ingredient, determine if they are safe for the patient to take, and also divine if there is any chance that these substances could actually have an effect on weight loss at all.