Cortisol is a human hormone that helps you cope with stressful situations. The Mayo Clinic confirms that excess cortisol may put you at risk for obesity. Some dietary supplement manufacturers market "cortisol blockers" that purportedly reduce your levels of this hormone; however, take diet pills that fight cortisol off your list if you're looking for a way to lose weight. These dietary supplements have an established history with governmental regulatory agencies as products with false or misleading claims attached.
Cortisol and Weight
Whenever you're encountered with stressful situations that demand a fight-or-flight response, your brain sends a signal to your adrenal glands, located on top of your kidneys, to produce cortisol and adrenaline. Cortisol has an effect on your metabolism and blood pressure; it also converts fatty acids into energy for your body when you're faced with stressful situations. The Mayo Clinic explains that if you feel continually under pressure, your body may secrete excessive levels of cortisol. Too much cortisol may compromise your health, leading to heart disease, depression, digestive disorders, difficulty sleeping and weight gain. Numerous books have been written connecting cortisol with obesity; however, the Mayo Clinic blogger and nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky states the link between cortisol and weight gain has yet to be conclusively proven.
Regulatory Intervention
In 2004, the FTC charged the marketers of two cortisol-blocking dietary supplements with making false and misleading claims that lured consumers to buy their products. The manufacturers aired infomercials on several well-known television stations claiming that almost everyone who bought the dietary supplement would lose up to 50 lbs, with as much as 10 lbs. of weight loss occurring in a single week. Moreover, the manufacturer falsely stated that these breakthrough claims were supported by more than a decade of scientific research. The FTC subsequently sent warning letters to 25 website owners advertising diet pills that purportedly blocked cortisol. In 2007, the agency reached a settlement with the dietary supplement marketers, which included giving refunds to consumers who purchased one of the two products.
Understanding Diet Pills
Diet pills aren't weight loss drugs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a small number of prescription medications specifically for weight loss. Most of these are appetite suppressants approved for use by adults for no longer than three months. Diet pills such as those that claim to block cortisol are dietary supplements; these need no premarket approval from the FDA before they're sold to consumers. By law, manufacturers cannot assert that their supplement prevents, treats or cures any medical condition, including obesity. Nonprescription diet pills aren't necessarily safe; they can have side effects, interact with the medications and other supplements you take and can even make existing medical conditions worse.
Diet Pills to Avoid
The proven way to lose weight requires you to cut calories from your diet and increase your level of daily physical activity. Before you purchase a weight loss supplement, look past the sales pitch and see if the ingredients in the product are supported by scientific research. Avoid products that use customer testimonials or make impossible claims, such as you'll lose more than a few pounds a week without diet or exercise. Steer clear of diet pills sold by a manufacturer that's come under fire by the FTC in the past. The supplement marketer the FTC took action against in the mid-2000s continues to sell the same cortisol-blocking supplement using revised marketing claims.
References
- Mayo Clinic: CortiSlim: Can Cortisol Blockers Help With Weight Loss?; K. Zeratsky; February 2010
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission: FTC Targets Products Claiming to Affect the Stress Hormone Cortisol; October 2004
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission: Refunds for Consumers Who Purchased CortiSlim or CortiStress; September 2007
- Mayo Clinic: Stress: Constant Stress Puts Your Health at Risk; September 2010
- U.S. Office of Dietary Supplements: Frequently Asked Questions
- FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection: Weighing the Evidence: Substantiating Claims for Weight Loss Products; L. Fair
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