Diet Pill Review

Are diet pills just scams?

Diet pills are available in two forms -- so-called weight-loss supplements available over the Internet and at drugstores, and prescription weight-loss drugs that require a visit to a doctor. When it comes to over-the-counter diet pills, experts say nearly unanimously that there is not enough evidence to support their use. Many of these diet supplements contain unproven or dangerous ingredients, and health professionals say you're better off with diet and exercise. Everyone would love a shortcut to weight loss, but it appears that the old adage, calories in vs. calories out, really does hold true.

The research on prescription diet drugs is much more convincing and credible than the information we found on over-the-counter diet pills -- that's mainly because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves and regulates prescribed diet drugs. Prescription weight-loss pills are subject to clinical trials and the FDA strictly regulates their marketing. However, FDA approval is not required for over-the-counter diet pills. As a result, many of these over-the-counter diet pills tout dramatic results that can help you melt body fat or lose 10 pounds without diet and exercise.

While the FDA has little oversight when it comes to over-the-counter diet pills and supplements, watchdog organizations do keep an eye on some of these companies, sometimes resulting in action. In January 2007, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ordered the makers of Xenadrine EFX, CortiSlim, TrimSpa and One-A-Day Weight Smart to pay $25 million in fines for advertising claims not backed by scientific evidence. The manufacturers paid up and altered their labels, and the pills are still on the shelves. Unsubstantiated claims aren't the only dangers posed by these diet pills. In March 2009, the FDA warned consumers about 72 diet pills, including 7 Day Herbal Slim, Extrim Plus, Perfect Slim and Super Fat Burner, that were tainted with undeclared ingredients or prescription-strength medications. Some of these pills contained ingredients that could lead to seizures, high blood pressure or stroke.

Hydroxycut recalled

Shortly after this large recall, the FDA announced in May 2009 that consumers should immediately stop using Hydroxycut, a popular over-the-counter diet pill. In total, the FDA received over 20 reports of liver damage linked to Hydroxycut, including one case that led to liver failure and death. As a result, the FDA recalled all Hydroxycut products, including Hydroxycut 24, Hydroxycut Rapid Release, Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets and Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Tablets. This is only the latest in a long line of diet pills that have led to serious health problems, illustrating the potential dangers posed by unregulated weight-loss supplements.

When evaluating diet pills, we found the most credible information written by scientific researchers in articles published by The Obesity Society and the British Medical Journal. PubMed.com provides easy access to abstracts from these journals and others, which summarize the latest research on weight-loss ingredients and prescription medications. ConsumerLab.com and Public Citizen are also very valuable for evaluating common ingredients in diet pills. Public Citizen is a consumer-advocacy organization that runs WorstPills.org, a site dedicated to giving consumers the bottom line on popular diet pills and other prescription drugs. ConsumerReports.org and the Mayo Clinic also provide good information on several diet pills. Government sources, like the National Institutes of Health or the FDA, are somewhat helpful, but their websites are hard to navigate and it's not easy to find the information you need.

Watch out for fake testimonials on the Web

When searching for diet-pill reviews, be wary of sites that claim to offer unbiased or expert reviews without providing any information on who runs the site. These anonymous sites claim to offer unbiased diet-pill reviews, but many of these sites are linked to supplement manufacturers or try to funnel web traffic to the website of a particular diet pill. Many of these sites also sell the top-rated diet pills directly from their website -- how convenient that the top-rated pill just happens to be sold right on their site!