New health comparison website reveals bogus slimming products 29 April 2008
New health comparison website supplementscompared.com has revealed that some of the most popular slimming supplements on the market have very little likelihood of helping us lose weight.
The site, which rates a range of health supplements for quality and value for money, shows that many popular slimming products have little or no supporting scientific evidence of having any effect in weight reduction. In particular, support for those classed as ‘herbal remedies’ is often based on traditional usage which may go back several decades, rather than on credible evidence.
With the summer season fast approaching, women will soon be looking for a quick diet fix to achieve a slimmer figure in time for the beach, yet slimming tablets may not the answer. The main findings of supplementscompared.com are:
° Some of the most expensive, most advertised and hence most popular supplements containing ingredients such as apple cider vinegar, guarana, seaweed extract and dandelion, commonly promoted for their ‘slimming properties’, have little or no supporting credible evidence at all.
° Meal replacement products have the most evidence of benefit with the most popular brand in the UK awarded the ‘Best Product’ accolade. Because they replace between 1-2 meals per day, and provide a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals they also represent great value for money.
° The only link between Guarana and weight reduction is its caffeine content, which can otherwise be obtained from drinking two cups of tea.
° Popular slimming ingredient, dandelion, may stimulate some temporary fluid loss but is very unlikely to have any benefit in a sustained weight loss programme.
° Supplements containing Palm Oil or Pine Nut extracts which reduce the sensation of appetite and those containing CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) may have some effect in assisting weight loss when taken alongside a calorie controlled diet.
Supplementscompared.com was launched earlier this month with all products reviewed by a panel of experts made from medical doctors and leading nutritional experts. A spokesperson said,
“There is a great amount of pressure on us to reduce our weight and a large industry has grown up around this. There is evidence that some nutrients may be beneficial in helping us to lose unwanted weight when used as part of a calorie controlled diet, but other product types have very little basis for effect and are therefore unlikely to deliver the weight loss benefits we’d like to see.
“Many of us are swayed by well known brands or think it is how much you spend that matters, but the findings of the site show that it’s not always the case.”
The panel of experts at supplementscompared.com review the evidence associated with the most popular supplements and measure the amount of active ingredient they contain to identify those that are most likely to deliver the benefits claimed on the packaging. Each one is also rated for value for money, and “best product” and “worth a look” accolades are awarded to exceptional quality products.
