The new year has long been a time to focus on weight loss. New year, new you, right?
Unfortunately, that mentality can also feed into the success of companies hawking phony and costly weight loss products that do more harm than good to your body.
“Consumers may unknowingly take products laced with varying quantities of approved prescription drug ingredients, controlled substances and untested and unstudied pharmaceutically active ingredients,” according to a disclaimer on the FDA website. “These deceptive products can harm you!”
In 2017, for example, the FDA posted a public notification on its website about Asia Slim Diet Pills. According to a listing for the pills on Ebay, the pills are manufactured in Thailand and will reduce appetite while boosting metabolism. Noticeable weight loss is promised in 15 days for $14.99.
What’s more, the pills are advertised as side-effect-free.
But the FDA found that Asia Slim pills include drugs such as sibutramine, diazepam and Bisacodyl, which have definite – and dangerous – side effects.
Sibutramine was removed from the market in 2010 after it was shown to raise some consumers’ blood pressures and heart rates. Diazepam, the active ingredient in Valium, is highly addictive and can cause withdrawals complete with vomiting, sweating, muscle pain and extreme anxiety. And Bisacodyl? That’s a laxative.
Asia Slim isn’t the only diet pill with sketchy ingredients on the market. Throughout 2017, the FDA issued nine similar warnings to consumers. And most of those – including Asia Slim – appear to still be selling online. They’re wasting consumers money while hurting their bodies, according to the FDA.
So, what’s making these sketchy pills so appealing? Well, to begin with, a large percentage of Americans want to be thinner or at least healthier. A Statista poll found that the two most common resolutions made by Americans going into 2018 were to eat healthier and exercise more – the two main components of weight loss.
But there’s a reason those resolutions don’t often last past February. Weight loss is a long-term goal – and it can be frustrating to work toward something without seeing immediate results.
“To make a change in how you look, you are talking about a significant period of training,” William Kraemer, a kinesiology professor at the University of Connecticut told The New York Times in a 2009 article. “In our studies, it takes six months to a year.”
That makes products offering results in just 10 to 15 days more appealing. And then there’s the tricky and often fraudulent advertising. In 2016, the Federal Trade Commission wrote a blog post warning that many fake diet pill companies were hacking into emails, sending contacts endorsements for the weight loss supplements that appeared to come from friends and family members.
“The FTC says the emails linked to fake news sites with fictitious articles and phony endorsements – even, supposedly, from Oprah,” according to the post.
But Oprah didn’t endorse the product – it was just another ploy by the manufacturer to lure consumers into trusting a less-than-safe drug.
The bottom line here is that weight loss is hard. It’s supposed to be a long, difficult road – and consumers should be wary of anything that promises to cut that commute short.
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Here’s a list of the diet supplements the FDA warned the public about in 2017:
Adipessum Miracle Slimming Capsules ($40) – These pills contain Fluoxetine, a serotonin reuptake inhibitor used for treating depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and panic disorder. The use of SSRIs has been associated with suicidal thinking, abnormal bleeding and seizures.
Fruta Planta Life’s Garcinia Cambogia Premium ($70) – These pills contain sibutramine, which was removed from the market in 2010 because of the dangerous way it raised blood pressure and heart rate in some people.
A1 Slim (no longer sold) – These pills contained sibutramine, which was removed from the market in 2010 because of the dangerous way it raised blood pressure and heart rate in some people. It also contained phenolphthalein, an illegal chemical that may increase the risk of cancer.
Physic Candy (no longer sold) – These pills contained sibutramine, which was removed from the market in 2010 because of the dangerous way it raised blood pressure and heart rate in some people.
Physic Candy – Curve (no longer sold) – These pills contained sibutramine, which was removed from the market in 2010 because of the dangerous way it raised blood pressure and heart rate in some people.
Slimming Plus Advanced ($18) – These pills contain sibutramine, which was removed from the market in 2010 because of the dangerous way it raised blood pressure and heart rate in some people. It also contains phenolphthalein, an illegal chemical that may increase the risk of cancer.
Platinum Weight Solution – Fat Loss Metabolizer ($42) – These pills contain sibutramine, which was removed from the market in 2010 because of the dangerous way it raised blood pressure and heart rate in some people. It also contains phenolphthalein, an illegal chemical that may increase the risk of cancer.
Platinum Max Strength Blue Pill Version ($42) – These pills contain sibutramine, which was removed from the market in 2010 because of the dangerous way it raised blood pressure and heart rate in some people. It also contains phenolphthalein, an illegal chemical that may increase the risk of cancer.
Lean Extreme Max ($28) – These pills contain sibutramine, which was removed from the market in 2010 because of the dangerous way it raised blood pressure and heart rate in some people.
X-treme Beauty Slim ($54) – These pills contain sibutramine, which was removed from the market in 2010 because of the dangerous way it raised blood pressure and heart rate in some people.
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