The
Latest Scoop on Natural Diet Aids
Well, the
holidays are over and so are the weeks of endless munching
on high calorie goodies. Most of us are eager to get back
in shape and drop the extra three to five pounds we've
gained- fast. It's tempting to want a little extra help
in shedding the weight. Until recently, the popular diet
drug Fen-Phen (fenfluramine and phentermine) was liberally
prescribed to overweight patients by their doctors. The
drug has since been recalled by the manufacturer after
a series of studies at the Mayo Clinic found it to cause
potentially fatal heart and lung damage. Since the recall,
there has been an explosion of herbal diet aids in the
market, all promising quick weight loss. Do these weight
loss products and other herbal supplements live up to their
promises, and are they safe?
Herbal supplements
are often safer than drugs as they are milder and produce
fewer side effects. The herb, St. John's Wort (hypericum
perforatum), has been found to be as successful as standard
antidepressants in alleviating mild to moderate depression
by regulating serotonin, a brain chemical which regulates
mood. It is also a principal ingredient in many herbal
diet aids, as it is believed to have weight loss benefits,
although this has not been demonstrated clinically.
Although many "natural" remedies
are as potent as drugs, they are largely unregulated. It
costs hundreds of millions of dollars to prove that a remedy
is safe and effective, and companies are unwilling to spend
that kind of money. Several years ago, the Dietary Supplement
Health and Education Act was passed by Congress which allows
a company to sell their supplement as long as the label
makes no claims that they are effective in treating a particular
illness. In addition, this law extended the definition
of supplement to include amino acids and some hormones.
Just because
a supplement is marketed as an herbal remedy doesn't mean
its safe. Some herbs can be toxic and downright deadly.
One of the oldest known medicinal herbs, ephedra, also
known as ma huang, is a stimulant that reportedly has weight-loss
benefits. It is found in Herbal Fen-Phen, a "natural" diet
aid first introduced by Nutri/System Weight Loss Centers.
When used in a study by researchers from Harvard Medical
School, this product was found to cause negligible weight
loss in twenty-four obese subjects. Last June, the Food
and Drug Administration proposed limiting the ephedrine
levels in supplements after it was linked to numerous health
complaints, including cardiac arrhythmia's, dizziness,
seizure and hepatitis. Ma huang is also believed to be
associated with two deaths. There have been other reports
of herbs that have been linked to various health maladies.
An entire line of diet teas was removed from health food
and supermarket shelves as they were found to cause serious
gastrointestinal problems including diarrhea and dehydration.
These products contain the herb, senna, which has laxative
properties. Not only are these products potentially unsafe,
long-term use can cause loss of intestinal muscle tone,
prompting a dependency on them.
What's the
bottom line on herbal supplements? If you are interested
in herbal remedies consult a well-researched guide such
as The Honest Herbal, by Varro Tyler Ph.D. or consider
talking with a health care professional with extensive
training in herbal medicine such as a naturopathic physician.
As for herbal diet aids, avoid them. The standard prescription
of a low-fat, balanced diet and regular exercise is your
best bet for long-term weight loss. |
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You Know?
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