Herbal therapy for management of obesity: observations from a clinical endocrinology practice

To assess the effectiveness and safety of two herbal therapies for weight reduction.

A nonrandomized group of 128 patients seen in my office who had received one of two herbal treatments for obesity were retrospectively analyzed for their weight loss response. No control group was studied or analyzed in conjunction with these patients. All these patients had been unsuccessful losing weight with use of diet and exercise modalities alone. Of the 128 patients, 90 were treated with the herbal product BioLean, and 38 were treated with the combination of prescription phentermine and the herbal product Satiete. Both herbal products are manufactured under the highest standards of purity, consistency, and quality control, and both are listed in the Physicians' Desk Reference for Nonprescription Drugs and Dietary Supplements.

The patients receiving BioLean were treated for a mean of 18.7 weeks and lost a mean of 0.73 lb/wk. The patients receiving phentermine and Satiete were treated for a mean of 12.4 weeks and lost a mean of 0.87 lb/wk. Overall, 79% of the BioLean-treated patients and 87% of the phentermine- and Satiete-treated patients lost a mean of at least 0.5 lb/wk. No significant adverse reactions to either treatment were noted. Comparable data from a matched control group were not available for further analysis of these results.

Herbal products for weight reduction in motivated patients may be effective in helping to treat clinically significant obesity, which is an important public health problem in the United States. The consistency and safety of a bioavailable active herbal product for weight reduction, as well as its efficacy, remain important factors in the consideration of such therapy for weight reduction.