Some natural and herbal diet pills can help you lose weight. Unfortunately, most of them are not backed by substantial scientific evidence or clinical trials. The Food and Drug Administration regulates natural and herbal diet pills as dietary supplements. It warns that dishonest manufacturers sometimes taint diet pills with hidden ingredients not listed on the label. Ingredients in diet pills -- hidden or on the list of ingredients -- may interact with medications and cause adverse reactions. Get your doctor's approval before taking natural and herbal diet pills.
Safflower Oil
Lose weight and improve your health without diet and exercise when you take safflower oil supplements, according to a study from the Ohio State University and scheduled for publication in an issue of the "Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Obese women with type 2 diabetes took a safflower supplement daily for 16 weeks and did not change their diets or exercise routines. The dose was equivalent to about 1 2/3 tsp. At the end of the study, which was partially funded by the company that sells the safflower oil supplements, the women had less abdominal fat and more muscle tissue. They also showed improvements in four key health indicators: blood sugar, good cholesterol, inflammation and insulin sensitivity. Safflower oil comes in liquid and softgel forms.
Caffeine, Capsaicin and Tea
Weight loss pills with caffeine, capsaicin -- from chili peppers -- and tea may increase the amount of calories you burn by 4 percent to 5 percent, according to a scientific review by Maastricht University in the Netherlands and published in the April 2010 issue of the "International Journal of Obesity." These ingredients may also increase the amount of stored fat your body uses as energy by 10 percent to 16 percent. Caffeine, capsaicin and tea potentially can produce significant weight loss effects and prevent obesity, the researchers note. The also said the efficacy of these ingredients varied among subjects.
Guarana, Fiber and Cabbage Powder
Natural and herbal dietary supplements for weight loss are ineffective, according to a study from the University of Göttingen Medical School in Germany and presented at the 2011 International Congress on Obesity in Sweden. Researchers examined products bought in a German pharmacy whose makers claim will curb appetite, boost metabolism, block carbohydrates and prevent you from digesting fats. These products included guarana seed powder, fiber pills and cabbage powder. In the study, 189 obese and overweight adults took one of nine dietary supplements for weight loss or a placebo. The researchers found no statistically significant difference compared to the placebo.
Bitter Orange, Chromium Picolinate and Guar Gum
Bitter orange, chromium picolinate and guar gum are not adequate treatments for weight loss, according to a "systematic review of all existing systematic reviews of clinical trials on weight loss supplements" by the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom and presented at the 2011 congress in Sweden. The review also examined the efficacy of conjugated linoleic acid, chitosan and green tea. Some of the supplements caused adverse effects and the researchers say the efficacy of natural and herbal diet pills needs more rigorous research.
References
- Ohio State University; A Dose of Safflower Oil Each Day Might Help Keep Heart Disease at Bay; Emily Caldwell; March 2011
- EurekAlert!; No Evidence That Popular Slimming Supplements Facilitate Weight Loss; July 2010
- "International Journal of Obesity"; Thermogenic Ingredients and Body Weight Gain; R. Hursel, et al.; April 2010
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Beware of Fraudulent Weight-Loss Dietary Supplements; March 2011
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