Weight gain is usually caused by overeating and not enough exercise, and 66% of adults in the United States are overweight or obese, according to the National Library of Medicine. To maintain your current weight, you should take in the same number of calories you burn; if you want to lose weight, you need to take in fewer calories than you burn. While it can be hard to shed the extra pounds, many supplements are available at health-food stores, pharmacies and grocery stores to assist you in meeting your weight-loss goals.
Types
All the supplements have the same goal: to help you lose weight. Some supplements focus on caffeine or another stimulant as the key ingredient in helping you reach that goal. Most diet supplements fall into one or more of the following categories: decrease absorption of dietary fat, block absorption of fat, reduce body fat, increase muscle, decrease appetite, increase calories burned and increase feeling of fullness.
Considerations
Stimulants are used in many weight-loss products, and while they give you an initial jump-start, they many taper off throughout the day and leave you feeling depleted and tired later on. Many supplements are not proven effective, and some are considered dangerous. The FDA banned "country mallow," also known as "heartleaf," because it was deemed unsafe. Check the ingredients in similar products. Sometimes one company will manufacture two products that have the same ingredients, but market one toward men and another toward women. Make sure you are actually getting a product designed to help women lose weight, not just a gimmick.
Misconceptions
Some people believe if you take a weight-loss supplement, you don't need to exercise; that is not true. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that adults need at least two and a half hours of moderate activity each week. Most weight-loss supplements have a note in their instructions stating that physical activity and eating a healthy diet in conjunction with the supplement will help you achieve optimal weight-loss results. One popular type of weight-loss supplement is the cortisol blocker, which claims to block cortisol to help you lose weight. Registered dietitian Katherine Zeratsky of the Mayo Clinic says there is no solid evidence that cortisol blockers work, and in 2007 the Federal Trade Commission charged the marketers of two cortisol-blocking products with making false claims about the effectiveness of those products.
Benefits
Finding a supplement that works with your body and gives you the desired results can be tricky, but it is well worth the potential benefits. If you are obese, losing weight will decrease your risk of heart disease, cancer and joint pain. Shedding pounds will also help increase your confidence and may alleviate depression.
Warnings
Don't start any new weight-loss regimen without first talking to your doctor. Read about potential side effects or drug interactions before taking any weight-loss drugs or herbal supplements. The Mayo Clinic says some over-the-counter weight-loss supplements can be downright dangerous and should be avoided. Since supplements do not have to be approved by the FDA, they are not held to the same standards as prescription drugs. Stop taking the supplements if you notice any heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, light-headedness or major mood changes.
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