Are you taking or planning on taking weight loss supplements to lose weight? Then this article will provide you with all the information you need to know.
Weight loss supplements come in various forms like pills, capsules, gummies, powder forms, and even liquid forms like tea. The popularity of weight loss supplements has increased exponentially in the past few years. The reason for such popularity is the promises made by the dietary supplement industry about easy weight loss.
These supplements advertise to be the easy way to lose weight without requiring you to change your diet and lifestyle. They come with promises that these supplements can make you lose inches without having to put in much effort.
Before you start taking weight loss supplements, it is of utmost importance that you take the advice of your dietician or a physician. You need to think about many factors if you want to take these to lose weight. Do these really work? Are they safe enough? Will these supplements affect any health conditions if you have any? Are they worth your money?
Here, we have covered the most important aspect of the highly debatable topic, weight loss supplements.
How do weight loss supplements work
Fat loss supplements claim to be aiding in fast weight loss. Usually, all weight loss supplements work by 3 mechanisms as mentioned below.
- They work by increasing your metabolism.
- They reduce your appetite.
- They reduce the absorption of certain nutrients, especially fats.
These supplements work by increasing your energy expenditure. As they reduce your appetite, you may not feel hungry, and therefore consume fewer calories. This along with increased metabolism will lead to losing fat. They also work by making you feel full for a long time.
Do they actually work?
Based on the studies conducted, the number of individuals who have lost weight due to these supplements is less when compared to the number of people who did not show much of a difference. Even this weight loss was only of few pounds.
There is no scientific proof that these pills will drastically make you burn excessive fat. Even when these supplements work, they do not work as magically as they are advertised. They might be effective up to a certain level.
They might show a very small influence on your body or some might not show any effect at all. As the experts say, taking these supplements alone won’t work if you want to sustain weight loss. More extensive studies are yet to be conducted to know the efficacy and also the side effects if any.
Diuretic pills which are used for weight loss cause the removal of unnecessarily high amounts of fluid from the body. This removal of fluids will cause weight loss. It is mostly the water weight. Weight loss of this kind is not healthy, as water weight will come back once you stop these pills. Hence, these pills are not at all recommended for weight loss as their effects are temporary.
The lack of evidence that these pills work makes their usage questionable. Until then, it is recommended to take these pills with utmost care. Most dieticians advise us to proceed with taking these supplements with great caution.
What do weight loss supplements contain?
They are generally made up of ingredients such as fiber, herbs, and minerals. These ingredients are used in different quantities and combinations. Some of the most common weight loss supplement ingredients are caffeine, beta-glucans, capsaicin, guar gum, calcium, fucoxanthin, African mango, vitamin D, and many more.
These ingredients have slight to no effect on fat loss. Though some of these ingredients are safe, most of them after a certain amount cause side effects like headaches, hives, heartburn, anxiety, increased blood pressure, vomiting, and many more.
In the trials conducted, the supplements which showed a certain amount of weight loss in the participants had multiple ingredients. Thus it is difficult to decide which ingredient is actually responsible for the loss of weight.
You could be allergic to some of the ingredients. Some of the ingredients can be very harmful to your body. Most of the ingredients elevate your alertness, and activity and reduce your fatigue. These effects are due to the release of some substances in the body called neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters might also show undesirable effects like increased blood pressure and heart rate.
Do you want to know if these supplements are harmful? Then continue reading.
Health hazards caused by weight loss supplements
Many weight loss supplements claim to make you lose weight without having you restrict yourself from your favorite food or even exercising. They claim to be the “fat-melting” pills as well. These claims sound fascinating right? Yes, who doesn’t want to go for easier ways?
As much as they sound tempting, most of them are equally harmful to your health. Studies have shown the cases where many people got hospitalized and even died because of these pills. These supplements may even cause liver damage.
There were several cases of hepatotoxicity because of the usage of fat-burning supplements. These “herbal” pills can even lead to heart attacks. Excess iron in these supplements could be the reason for feeling nauseous and even leading to vomiting.
The most popular ingredient of these weight loss supplements Ephedra has been banned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Ephedra caused weight loss by stimulating the nervous system which increases the calories you burn and reduces the appetite. It was proved to be dangerous as it caused abnormal heart rate and increased blood pressure. Cases of seizures have also been recorded.
Many people have complained of insomnia after consuming weight loss supplements, especially those which are rich in caffeine. The weight loss supplements sometimes have extracts from adrenal and thyroid glands which can also endanger your life.
It is necessary that you know that these supplements, though regulated by the FDA, they are not reviewed prior to their market release. This makes it extremely hard to differentiate the brands which could be safe and which could possibly harm you. Some of the supplements have been proven to have adulterated substances that put your health at high risk.
Therefore, beware of these health hazards before you jump into taking these “quick fixes”.
It is of utmost importance to keep in mind any other medical conditions you might have. These supplements may interfere with any medications and supplements you could be taking and cause more harm than good to your health.
Practical approach towards weight loss
Most weight loss supplements are quite expensive. The sad part is that these might not even work. Nowadays everyone is looking for quick solutions for everything. No one is ready to put in extra effort to achieve their goal. But for losing weight there are no such shortcuts.
Everything that is advertised and promises to promote weight loss has high sales in the present day. The reason for this is the increased cases of obesity and a narrow-minded approach towards having a “fit body”. Products which claim to be natural are not always safe.
The best way to lose inches is by starting a healthy way of living, avoiding junk fatty foods, and incorporating more whole foods. Reducing calorie intake and working out regularly are the most practical approaches to weight loss. We recommend you take the guidance of a dietician, nutritionist, or even a fitness expert.
Everybody wants to lose weight but no one focuses on the right way to do that. Because of social media influence, supplements and trendy diets have become widely popular, especially amongst the youth. These cause more harm than good.
There are so many ways that you can replace these fat loss pills and have a much more effective, long-term weight loss, moreover in the healthiest way possible.
Many simple ways like cutting down or avoiding late night or midnight snacking, getting a sufficient amount of sleep, consuming less sugary food and drinks (any sorts of desserts, soda, soft drinks), and making behavioral changes can be way more beneficial for weight loss than any weight loss supplements in the market.
Healthy weight loss will surely take time but the results are long-lasting. Eating clean, exercising regularly, and opting for healthier ways of living need a lot of motivation and energy. If you trust the process and do not give up, you are going to see a ton of health benefits rather than just losing weight. Does this have any ill effects? The answer is NO.
Conclusion
If your weight is bothering you, talk with your doctor first. As you might not know everything about these supplements, there are high chances you might end up harming your body.
Taking weight loss pills or supplements will have no effect on your weight if you don’t wish to change your lifestyle. Even if these pills work, this weight loss you see is going to be only a temporary change. You might come back to where you began or even gain some extra pounds.
So, it is high time you understand the importance of a properly balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Is your main aim to lose weight? If yes, then it is advised that you focus more on having a healthier lifestyle and including any physical activity that you enjoy. An unexpected advantage that comes with these changes is improved energy. You will also notice an improvement in your mood.
Choose long-term ways when you’re planning on losing weight than these quick tricks like supplements. Quick fixes always come with unnecessary disadvantages. If you still wish to add weight loss supplements to your everyday routine, we recommend you do it under the supervision of a doctor.