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Do dietary supplements help promote weight loss?
Stacey J Bell1, Wendy Van Ausdal, Greg Grochoski
1IdeaSphere Inc, Belmont, MA 02478, USA. staceyjbell@yahoo.com
Journal of Dietary Supplements
|March 23, 2012
Summary
Effective weight loss supplements are crucial for the overweight population. This review identifies specific dietary ingredients and blends that promote safe and effective weight loss, some surpassing over-the-counter options.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Dietary Supplements
- Weight Management
Background:
- Two-thirds of the US population is overweight or obese, necessitating new weight loss strategies.
- Dietary supplements are a popular weight loss option, but clinical evidence for efficacy is often lacking.
- Identifying effective supplements is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and evaluate published clinical studies on the effectiveness of dietary supplements for weight loss.
- To determine which specific ingredients and blends demonstrate efficacy in promoting weight loss.
- To compare the effectiveness of identified supplements against over-the-counter (OTC) orlistat.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search for published clinical studies on dietary supplements for weight loss.
- Defined effectiveness as promoting 1-2 lbs of weight loss per week.
- Compared weight loss results of supplements to OTC orlistat.
Main Results:
- Only 14 published studies were identified among numerous marketed supplements.
- Four individual ingredients and three blends were found to be effective for weight loss.
- Five single ingredients and three blends showed greater weight loss than OTC orlistat.
Conclusions:
- A limited number of dietary supplements have demonstrated clinical efficacy for weight loss.
- Healthcare providers and consumers should prioritize supplements with proven effectiveness.
- Further research may be needed to expand the options for evidence-based weight management supplements.
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