Diet Pills Reviews

There are two main classes of diet pills. So-called "weight loss supplements" are readily available over the Internet and at drug and health-food stores, while prescription weight loss drugs require a visit to the doctor for a prescription. Blurring the line is the first over-the-counter weight loss pill approved by the FDA for sale to consumers -- a 50 percent strength version of the prescription drug Xenical called Alli (*est. $60 for 90 pills).

Consumer Reports magazine has the best consumer information on weight loss supplements and diet pills, and although most of Consumer Reports' online content is only available to subscribers, editors make much of their health-related content available for free. In addition to Consumer Reports, we found a large number of reports on clinical studies, mainly involving prescription diet drugs, but also covering many ingredients found in over-the-counter weight loss supplements. We also found a good article in American Family Physician magazine reviewing the ingredients in common diet pills.

We found excellent coverage about the recently approved over-the-counter version of Xenical on the website of the Public Citizen, which was one of the first organizations to break the case against ephedra a few years ago. We found additional articles and studies at The Journal of the American Medical Association and in other medical journals. The British Medical Journal, for instance, has an excellent meta-analysis of current research on prescription weight loss drugs. Be aware that there are a number of thinly veiled websites carrying names that suggest an unbiased view, but further investigation points to a very clear sales agenda. Sites like ConsumerDietReview.com and DietPillAdvisor.com might offer a nugget of wisdom here or there, but they mainly exist to part dieters from their cash. Since many factors contribute to a person’s ability to lose weight, user reviews posted to sites like Amazon.com and Drugstore.com should not be considered reliable indicators of how well a drug will work. They are, however, interesting sources of information on common side effects and anecdotal user satisfaction.

While the FDA has little oversight when it comes to over-the-counter diet pills and supplements, watchdog organizations do keep an eye fixed on some of these companies, sometimes resulting in action. In January 2007, The Federal Trade Commission ordered the makers of Xenadrine EFX, CortiSlim, TrimSpa and One-A-Day Weight Smart to pay $25 million in fines for false advertising claims not backed by scientific evidence. The pill-makers paid up and altered their label copy, and the pills are still on the shelves. In short, these companies were fined for making unsubstantiated weight loss claims about their products.

The makers of CortiSlim (*est. $20 for 90 capsules) tell us that the stresses of life cause our bodies to release too much of the hormone cortisol, and that elevated levels of cortisol cause us to store fat. CortiSlim is supposed to keep cortisol levels stable. There are a couple of problems here, according to the research. First, there is no evidence that cortisol is responsible for fat storage or that cortisol levels fluctuate very much. In a 2005 issue of The Nutrition Action Health Letter, endocrinologist Jonathan Purnell, M.D., of The University of Oregon is quoted as saying, "It's a popular myth that everyday stress raises cortisol levels," and "obese people don't have higher blood cortisol levels than lean people." Secondly, there are no double-blind placebo studies to show that CortiSlim diet pills are effective at depressing cortisol levels and producing weight loss or that the concept of cortisol-blocking in general would have any effect on weight loss. The FTC charged CortiSlim with making false claims about its ability to cause rapid, sustainable weight loss. And its ads, designed to look like talk shows, were deemed deeply deceiving.

TrimSpa X32 (*est. $30 for one-month supply) was endorsed by the late Anna Nicole Smith and featured testimonials saying that she'd lost 69 pounds in eight months using TrimSpa. There's since been speculation that Smith may not have even used the diet pills, or used them in conjunction with other diet aids. Like CortiSlim, TrimSpa was found to have unsubstantiated weight loss claims. The FTC also pointed out that the claims for its appetite-suppressing ingredient, hoodia gordonii, are largely unproven. In addition to hoodia gordonii, TrimSpa diet pills contain chromium, vanadium, glucomannan (fiber), citrus naringin (bitter orange), glucosamine HCL, cocoa extract and green tea extract, many of which are stimulants.

One ingredient in TrimSpa and other diet pills, citrus naringin (also known as bitter orange) has certainly raised a red flag with safety experts. It is impossible to ascertain the exact amount of caffeine you'd ingest with a day's dose of TrimSpa -- Anna Nicole apparently took the maximum six diets pills a day, but the label recommends four. In terms of the non-stimulant ingredients, chromium may or may not have any effect on weight loss, depending on which article you read. In a 2004 paper in American Family Physician, doctors from Harvard Medical School found that there is no evidence to support chromium's use as a weight loss supplement. Fiber is certainly good for one's diet and can help people achieve feelings of fullness; however, there are far more economical and safe ways to get fiber in your diet than taking a pill, say experts.

In the case of Xenadrine EFX (*est. $35 for one-month supply) , the FTC says that placebo pills produced greater weight loss in one clinical trial than the supplement. Some of the Xenadrine advertising shows customers who claim to have lost anywhere from 20 to 110 pounds while on the diet pills, but the FTC says that these people actually "engaged in rigorous diet and/or exercise programs in order to lose weight, and some were provided with a personal trainer," in addition to a fee ranging from $1,000 to $20,000 for their endorsements. As with the rest of these diet pills, it's unclear whether Xenadrine will work, and what we read to the contrary concerned us. A 2004 article from Consumer Reports highlights the case of a woman who suffered seizures while taking Xenadrine EFX diet pills, a reaction that her doctors believed was triggered by bitter orange in the supplement (bitter orange is also an ingredient in TrimSpa and CortiSlim). Xenadrine EFX has since stopped listing bitter orange as an ingredient in the diet pills, but Xenadrine EFX clearly contains caffeine, green tea extract, some chocolate-derived ingredients and yerba mate, all of which have stimulant effects. As part of its settlement with the makers of Xenadrine EFX, the FTC held a campaign in the summer of 2007 to inform dissatisfied customers of their right to request a refund. Since then the company’s website has been removed, and although Xenadrine EFX can still be purchased through online retailers, others have discontinued selling the product.

CortiSlim is another brand whose marketers have been fined by the FTC in part to fund consumer redress. Based on the research studies we read, CortiSlim's likely efficacy is slim to none as it is based on a principle that clinicians say is not scientifically sound. TrimSpa and Xenadrine EFX will ramp up your heart rate in an effort to "burn fat" -- TrimSpa does this with the help of bitter orange, while Xenadrine EFX uses other stimulants. The inclusion of hoodia gordonii in the TrimSpa formula likely adds little or nothing to the mix, as its appetite suppressant capabilities are unproven. It really comes down to whether you believe stimulant ingredients are safe and effective for weight loss. So far, these diet pills have simply not held up to scrutiny.  ... Continued