Weight-Loss Supplements That Work:how To Find Your Way Throughthe Hoax, The Hype And The Harm

In January 2007, the Federal Trade Commission fined four
supplement manufacturers a total of 25 million dollars for
making what they said were false advertising claims about their
weight-loss products.

These weren't fly-by-night operations, selling little-known
products. Among the fined was Bayer Corporation, and its
One-A-Day brand. Others included the well-advertised and widely
purchased products Xenadrine EFX, CortiSlim and CortiStress, and
TrimSpa.

So what's a consumer to do? Stay away from any over-the-counter
vitamin or herbal product that claims it can help you lose
weight? But what if you're a "consumer" who has consumed too
much—what if you're among the 2 of 3 American adults who is
overweight? What if you're among the 9 out of 10 dieters who
have tried to lose weight again and again—and failed?

I have good news and bad news. Let's start with the bad: there
is no miracle pill for weight loss. There's only one way to
lose weight permanently: reduce calorie intake through eating
less, and increase calorie-burning through more physical
activity.

The good news: there are a few scientifically-proven
nutritional supplements that can help you lose weight. I know,
because I just spent more than a year writing about them, in my
new book, The Natural Fat-Loss Pharmacy (Broadway, 2007),
co-authored with Harry Preuss, MD, a professor at Georgetown
University Medical Center and an expert in natural remedies.
The supplements featured in The Natural Fat-Loss Pharmacy—the
supplements that scientific research shows can work for
weight-loss or weight-maintenance—include EGCG/caffeine, CLA,
carbohydrate-blockers, fiber supplements, HCA, medium-chain
triglycerides, 5-HTP, and chromium.

You will find all the information you need in The Natural
Fat-Loss Pharmacy to choose and use these supplements safely
and effectively. But here are a few brief guidelines that
anybody can use to bypass the hype, hoax and harm, and choose
the right supplements:

Don't believe outrageous claims. You know what they say: if it
sounds too good to be true, it is. Super-rapid weight
loss…weight loss without dieting or exercise…a pill that helps
you lose weight and cures every disease in the medical
dictionary—those are red flags. Keep on walking.

Think twice about multi-ingredient products. Some scientific
research shows that two-ingredient products are effective, like
HCA/chromium, or EGCG/caffeine. But if the product is loaded
with ingredients, many of which you don't even recognize…don't
buy it. Many individual vitamins or herbs have been
scientifically-shown to aid weight-loss. Most combination
products haven't.

Check out the research yourself. You're on the Web—and Web
gives you instant, first-person access to authentic scientific
research. One tip: go to the beta site, Google scholar
(http://scholar.google.com) and enter the ingredient you're
interested in along with the words "weight loss". A lot of
evidence will appear. (Try, for instance, "chromium" and
"weight loss".) Judge the results for yourself.

Read The Natural Fat-Loss Pharmacy and discuss it with your
doctor. The book has been endorsed more than a dozen top
scientists doctors and nutritionists. It's the first and only
science-based guide to weight-loss supplements that work. And
it's practical—it tells you which brands have produced positive
results, and at what dosage. It also offers sensible programs
for calorie-control and increasing activity—the essential
elements of losing weight. You can read more about the book—and
my other books on health and healing—at www.drugfreehealing.com.

About The Author: Yours for better health, Bill Gottlieb,
author The Natural Fat-Loss Pharmacy and Alternative Cures (1.5
million copies in print) billgottlieb@drugfreehealing.com
http://www.drugfreehealing.com

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