The Slim Quick Colon Cleanse Diet For Women

SlimQuick Cleanse is one in a series of diet pills marketed toward women who want to lose weight. According to the SlimQuick website, the pills are a part of a seven-day program designed to help "jumpstart" weight loss, after which you switch over to either the regular SlimQuick diet pill or SlimQuick Extreme. Proponents believe these pills to be effective, and the ingredient list suggests they may be, but you must decide if you want many of the ingredients to be a part of your diet.

Claims

According to the SlimQuick website, the seven-day cleanse is designed to prepare your body for weight loss by eliminating toxins, increasing your metabolism and energy, cleansing your colon and improving digestive function. The company also claims that the pills will balance your blood sugar levels. The pills contain hoodia, which the company claims will "fool your brain into thinking it is full," as well as a lengthy list of herbs entitled "SlimQuick cleanse 6-WAYS Complex."

Program

The company recommends that you take four pills with a full glass of water before lunch and again before bed. They also note that you should drink 80 oz. of water per day and follow a sensible "cleansing" diet and exercise program while taking the pills. Once the cleansing program is over, you are to immediately begin taking one of the company's other diet pills.

Ingredients

The pills contain mostly herbal stimulants, laxatives and diuretics. EGCG, green tea extract and chromium have all been diet pill fads by themselves at times, and the company also boasts about the high hoodia content of the formula. Senna is an effective herbal laxative used in several over-the-counter medications, and lactospore is a type of probiotic bacteria. The formula also contains a number of "heat-producing" herbs including cinnamon, turmeric, ginger and ginseng, all thought to help burn fat thermogenically.

Reality

A 2008 study at Khon Kaen University in Thailand found green tea to be effective at reducing body mass in participants, but according to Dr. Brent Bauer at MayoClinic.com, hoodia has not been proven to be effective. The EGCG, green tea extract and ginseng provide enough caffeine to increase your energy, as claimed, and the combination of the laxatives and the diuretics will empty out your bladder and colon. This could lead to a temporary weight loss of a pound or so and may reduce gas and bloating, which would result in a slightly flatter stomach. If you follow the company's instructions to eat a sensible diet and use the caffeine boost to exercise, you may in fact lose weight. On the other hand, if you eat a healthy diet and exercise, you won't need a pill to lose weight.

Caution

SlimQuick Cleanse comes with a long list of warnings. The high caffeine content makes it unsuitable for children under 18, and possible side effects include dizziness, nausea, headache, irregular heartbeat and chest pain. You shouldn't use the program if you are pregnant or nursing or have high blood pressure, liver, thyroid or psychiatric disease. Diabetes, anxiety, depression, and an enlarged prostate are also among the conditions that won't react well to the pills. The company also recommends that you consult your doctor before beginning the program if you are taking any prescription medication.