Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence

Many of the claims made by advocates of fad diets are either fraudulent, very unlikely, preposterous, or ridiculous. They break down quickly when exposed to the solvent of rationality and critical thinking. For instance, we've all heard claims such as, "Lose 30 pounds in 30 days". Sounds very enticing, but a bit of logic and science tells us that:

Marketing claims often sound logical. There may be an obvious thread of logic to their claims, but that doesn't mean the claims or the logic is true. Lies can appear both scientifically sound and logical. Marketers bank on the fact that most people won't seriously question their claims if they sound like the truth. Once most people accept a claim as seemingly reasonable, they usually won't investigate further. In terms of diet aids and diet products, we often want them to work so badly, we are blinded by our own desire for results. We want the claims to be true and the manufacturers now this. They prey on our desperation.

The Federal Trade Commission is warning consumers to watch out for the following types of weight loss products and claims:

Diet Pills and Potions

Over the counter diet pills 

In almost every grocery or convenience store, you'll find non-prescription appetite suppressants and diet pills. Ingredients notwithstanding, you have to ask yourself, why, if these actually worked, are there so many overweight and extremely obese people? After all, they aren't too expensive and they are certainly readily available. If they had merit and were safe and effective, don't you think doctors would be handing them out like candy?

Starch Blockers

New York City physician Fred Pescatore, MD, former medical director of the Atkins Center for Complementary Medicine, says of starch blockers, "[Starch-blocking] is useless. I have never seen any starch blockers work and I have seen many in my practice."

Ruth Kava, PhD, RD, director of nutrition at the American Council on Science and Health in New York City, says any product that inhibits the enzymes that break down starch will place excess starch in the gastrointestinal tract, and if it's not absorbed, it can cause problems. She suggests, "It's probably a lot safer to just eat less starches to start with.

Herbs and "Natural" diet aids

Herbs and natural supplements can have powerful effects and in some cases be good medicine. But the fact is, they are not tested and regulated like other powerful medicines and as a result, there have been some very tragic results. To be fair, conventional western medicine has had its fair share of tragic results. Herbal diet aids have not had a very good history in this respect and we should always proceed with caution. One should do their own research and recognize that a lot of herbs and herbal combination are sold under many various names. Some of these names may be on lists of suspected carcinogens or be implicated in other health problems––and some may not. Chances are almost 100% that any such suspected issue will not be printed on the package, nor will the person dispensing or selling the herbs necessarily know or even tell you if they did.

Any diet aid comes under the heading of a temporary fix or crutch. What happens when you quit taking it? Do these substances really have a proper place in lifestyle change or in changing our relationship to food? Remember, we are looking for permanent solutions and lifetime weight maintenance.

Another point to consider is that if these substances were so safe and effective, why aren't the big pharmaceutical companies beating down the door to package and market them? They want to make money and any medication that could so easily help combat obesity would be an earth shattering financial windfall for the first company to bring it to market.

Below is a partial history of diet pill and herbal ingredients that were marketed and then found to be quite dangerous.

In May 2004, Consumer Reports magazine, came out with a list of potentially dangerous dietary supplements. The article isn't just about herbs used as diet aids, but it does clearly demonstrate the potential hazards and that just because something is "natural" and has been around for centuries, does not insure its safety in a modern world.

As with the scores of other dietary supplements promising everything from slowing aging to preventing cancer, most herbs and "natural" diet aids are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and their claims do not have to be substantiated.

Herbs and other diet supplements may have drug-like effects that could present risks for people on certain medicines or with certain medical conditions. This is true, even if the product is marketed as "natural." For example, St. John's Wort can have potentially dangerous interactions with a number of prescription drugs, including anticoagulants, oral contraceptives, antidepressants, anti-seizure medicines, drugs for HIV, and drugs to prevent transplant rejection. It is always wise to check with your physician before starting to use any of these substances, especially if you are taking any prescription medications.

Nutritional Supplements

A healthy well rounded diet of nutrient dense natural foods that will help you shed excess weight at the rate of 1 to 2 pounds a week should meet all your requirements for vitamins, mineral, and other nutrients without supplementation if you are otherwise healthy. It does not hurt to take a daily vitamin mineral tablet as a sort of nutritional safety net.

Any diet that requires you to purchase expensive supplements is either deficient to an unhealthy degree or simply profiteering. Advertisements for special combinations of supplements made specifically to help you lose weight are a scam. They will help your pocketbook lose more weight than they ever will help you lose body weight. 

Even well respected vitamin/mineral manufacturers are now touting their wares as being somehow able to help you lose weight by suggesting that they help in some special way to "assist" the body in processing carbs. This is simply a marketing ploy and no more. Our bodies process carbohydrates exactly the same way, with or without those supplements.

Meal replacement drinks and shakes

Most of the common meal replacement in a can drinks are nutritionally about like drinking a Carnation Instant Breakfast drink. They really don't have much to offer someone looking to change their relationship to food who wants to build a new healthier lifestyle. There is no logical or sound reason not to eat real food instead of drinking one of these drinks. An apple and a hard boiled egg or a lite salad would be just about as quick, would add fiber to the diet, and be natural nutrient dense whole foods that help reduce the risks for disease and promote well-being.

Part of the problem or illness of compulsive overeating is a desire for instant gratification. Chugging a can of sweet chocolate flavored liquid for lunch is about as instant as it gets. It does not satisfy our need to chew and probably won't stick to the ribs nearly as long as real food. You can easily get the same amount of calories from whole foods and probably more nutrition including fiber, complex carbohydrates, and complete proteins.

The fact is, pills, potions, meal replacement drinks, and fad diets are all a Band-Aid approach to weight loss at best. No pill or diet product will stop you from eating for emotional reasons, eating to many sweets, binging, eating fast food, and leading a physically sedentary life. Successful weight loss depends on overcoming Binge Eating Disorder, a personal commitment to changing your lifestyle, and increasing your levels of physical exercise. There are no magic bullets.

Best Bet for Permanent Weight Control and Good Health

• Increase the amount of natural whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, baked fish (not fried), and beans that you eat.
• Decrease the amount of saturated and trans-fats in your diet.
• Severely restrict or eliminate calorie-dense nutritionally deficient foods such as cookies, sugary desserts, chips, fries, fast-food, and candies.
• Do not skip meals or go hungry.
• Get more active. Research shows that people who engage in regular physical activity are more likely to keep their weight off than people who only change their diet.

Research on people who have successfully lost a lot of weight and kept it off long term, show that the vast majority succeeded by consuming a low-fat diet high in fiber coupled with regular exercise.