Do Stacker Diet Pills Really Work?

Stacker diet pills are an herbal supplement that NVE Pharmaceuticals of Andover, New Jersey, produces and markets primarily to people who want to lose weight quickly. Diet pills such as these often appear in magazine advertisements with astounding before and after pictures. But Stacker diet pills have not been proven effective.

Stacker diet pills come in Stacker 2 and Stacker 3 formulations. The formulations have different herbal ingredients, such as kola nut, yerba mate, white willow bark, cactus extract and chitosan. Although these ingredients may sound unfamiliar, most of the energy the pills provide is in the form of caffeine — 200 mg in each dose. Caffeine is a strong stimulant that encourages the breakdown of fat stores in the body. This action, however, is short-term.

Stacker diet pills have not been studied sufficiently to verify the maker's claims. For example, NVE Pharmaceuticals claims that the chitosan in Stacker 3 keeps your body from storing fat, but the New York University Langone Medical Center says that research does not support this claim.

Before using Stacker diet pills, be aware that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not regulate dietary supplements. According to sports nutritionist Ellen Coleman, labeling on many dietary supplements is incorrect. Additionally, one batch of supplements may differ drastically from the next batch.

Taking Stacker diet pills does pose the risk of side effects. Because of their high caffeine content, herbal diet pills like Stacker 2 and Stacker 3 may cause nervousness, shaking, headaches and dizziness. Moreover, the herbs in the pills may interact with medications you're taking. Talk with your doctor before using these diet pills.