Top Five Weight Loss Scams

"Lose 30 pounds in 30 days! Experience the fat-burning power of Green Tea!" "Burn 35 pounds a month! The only effective Swiss natural fat burner formulated from seven unique and powerful ingredients for both rapid fat burning and appetite suppressing without any side effects!" Sounds good doesn't it? Anyone wanting to lose weight would jump at the chance to lose 30-35 pounds of fat a month, right? Well, before taking that plunge and parting with some hard earned cash, there is something you should know. Claims of natural fat loss pills and herbal weight loss supplements are more than likely scams. This article will discuss the top five weight loss scams including natural metabolism boosters, fat and carbohydrate blocking pills, weight loss teas, diet patches and jewelry, body wraps and sauna suits.

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Metabolism Boosters

Herbal-based metabolism boosting pills are and some of the most popular weight loss scams on the market. Names attached to these include Leptovox, Fenphedra, Xylestril, and one called "Dieters Cheaters Caps". These are marketed to the "Lazy Dieter who tends to Cheat" (Consumerbestdeals.com, 2008).

The problem with this is knowing what ingredients are actually in these pills. These diet supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and therefore not evaluated for accuracy. Many of these metabolism booster pills contain caffeine and act as a diuretic. The water weight loss associated with these is not effective in the long run.

Type the words "metabolism boosters" into any search engine and see astonishing results. Google alone returned over 300,000. The reason for this is that everyone wants a magic pill that will give him or her weight loss results without having to work for it. Some of these booster supplements do come with an actual weight loss plan and therefore are more realistic than just taking the supplements alone.

Fat and carbohydrate blocking pills

Here is another so-called magic bullet that claims to block fat absorption and in some cases also block carbohydrate absorption in the body. The problem with this scenario is that this can actually be harmful to your body. It is in effect inducing a type of "lactose intolerance" causing diarrhea and bloating. "By making the body unable to breakdown nutrients in the body, which leads to gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea, bloating, and gas, these pills also block the absorption of the vitamins that travel with these nutrients (Zanecosky, 2008) This just sounds very unpleasant.

Weight loss teas

Herbal-based weight loss teas again claim to "melt the pounds away" just by drinking the mixture. Here again the main ingredient in these concoctions is caffeine or guarana. This in turn acts as diuretic and leads to water loss. This type of weight loss is not sustainable over time and will fluctuate as the person replenishes the water or rehydrates him or herself. Too much of a diuretic can also cause an imbalance in electrolytes such as sodium and potassium. "...the only potential weight loss benefit of drinking herbal teas might be using them as a substitute for high-calorie beverages" (Mercer, 2008)

Diet patches and jewelry

These claims seem to be riding the success of the transdermal "nicotine" patch concept. However, to date no effective drugs have been developed for weight loss via transdermal delivery. These patches tend to use the same herbal ingredients as the teas and are even more ineffective by trying to deliver them through the skin.

The claims of earrings and bracelets used to cause weight loss are just plain false. There is no scientific data backing up the claim of wearing earrings or bracelet to lose weight, regardless of what some obscure Chinese myth may portray. Bottom line - False Claim = S-C-A-M!

Body wraps or sauna suits

These "sweat suits" or "slim suits" have been around for many years and re-emerge in some form or another at different periods. At one point it was not that uncommon to see people in the gym wearing these gray-plastic suits designed to synergize the effects of working out. They looked very similar to trash bags. All these suits do is increase body temperature and cause sweating to occur. This is just another form of water loss from the body and not a permanent solution to losing fat over a period of time. These body wraps, along with others in this category give the illusion of weight loss by shedding water weight, but again, the results are not sustainable. No actual weight loss occurs.

To sum it all up, there is no magic pill for weight loss. Herbal metabolism boosters, herbal teas, patches, bracelets, and body bags are all just smoke and mirrors to separate the average person from their money. The bottom line is that it took many years to put the weight on and it will take many years to get it off. The only way to effectively lose weight and keep it off is to cut back on calories and increase activity. It's that simple. It may not be the most glamorous or popular, but it works and has been working since people appeared on this planet. Want proof? Just ask your doctor or other healthcare professional.