March 7, 2012
After studying weight loss supplements and the body of evidence surrounding them, an Oregon State University researcher has found that no single product is proven 100 percent effective. In fact, many can be harmful to your health.
Melinda Manore posted her study online in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.
Manore is the professor of nutrition and exercise sciences at Oregon State University, and is a member of the Science Board for the Presidents Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. Manore found that some of the products she researched, such as green tea, fiber, and low-fat dairy supplements, did achieve a small weight loss benefit of no more than 4 pounds. However, Manore warns that it is important to remember that these products may have been effective because they were used in tandem with a reduced calorie diet.
For most people, unless you alter your diet and get daily exercise, no supplement is going to have a big impact, Manore said.
The supplements studied fell into four categories: products such as chitosan that block absorption of fat or carbohydrates, stimulants such as caffeine or ephedra that increase metabolism, products such as conjugated linoleic acid that claim to change the body composition by decreasing fat, and appetite suppressants such as soluble fibers.
In her research, she found that clinical trials examining the supplements effectiveness were not randomized. Furthermore, the research studies for many of these supplements did not include a daily exercise regimen as a part of the trial. In fact, the majority of the products showed less than a 2 pound weight loss when compared to the placebo.
Manores research focuses on the effects of nutrition and exercise on health and performance.
In her study, Manore said What people want is to lose weight and maintain or increase lean tissue mass. There is no evidence that any one supplement does this. And some have side effects ranging from the unpleasant, such as bloating and gas, to very serious issues such as strokes and heart problems.
Manore suggests the old fashioned method of healthy diet and exercise as a means to lose weight, rather than taking supplements to build muscle or shed pounds.
Read the original post:
Magic Weight Loss Pill Doesn’t Exist, Most Supplements Are Ineffective.
