Weight loss supplements

Before a drug can be sold explicitly as a treatment for weight loss it must be proven safe and effective and receive approval by the FDA or a comparable government body. Hence, the number of weigh loss drugs is rather small. Not so with weight loss supplements. They do not require FDA approval. As a result, then number of weight loss supplements on the market is enormous, leaving consumers at a loss as to what, if anything, to pick.

The only reliable way to figure out the merits of a weight loss supplement, or lack thereof, is to look at its active ingredients and evaluate their safety and effectiveness based on available scientific evidence. Despite the wide variety of brands and formulas, the spectrum of active ingredient used in the majority of weight loss products is relatively modest. Among those, only some are supported by scientific evidence, however indirect or suggestive. In this section, we review common active ingredients in weight loss formulas that have been at least somewhat researched by scientists. However, the inclusion in this listing does not necessarily mean an ingredient's effectiveness and/or safety. To find out, please read individual articles and also see the supplement research index.

Caffeine

Chromium

Ephedrine

Green tea

Hydroxycitric acid (Garcinia cambogia)

Medium chain triglicerides (MCT)