How to Know if Weight Loss Supplements Really Work
Review published clinical research., Evaluate the group size and length of each study., Consider personal reviews and testimonials., View sales pitches with skepticism., Read labels carefully.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Review published clinical research.
You typically can find articles about published research online that has tested the weight loss claims of specific weight-loss supplements.
Keep in mind that researchers define "clinically meaningful weight loss" as at least 5 percent of total body weight over the course of a year.Unfortunately, it may be difficult to find significant studies on the supplements in which you're interested.
When you do find studies, look critically at who conducted the research and for what purpose.
For example, you want to give more weight to an independent study conducted by a government agency or a university than you would to a study done by a company that also sells the supplement being tested. -
Step 2: Evaluate the group size and length of each study.
Weight-loss supplement manufacturers rarely complete extensive studies on the safety and effectiveness of their products before introducing them into the marketplace.Many studies involve small numbers of people, and only last a few months or even a few weeks.
These studies aren't broad enough for you to get an accurate picture of whether the supplement has long-term effectiveness.
Avoid taking a weight-loss supplement for a longer period of time than researchers have spent testing its safety and effectiveness.
This means that if a study only tested the safety of the supplement over the space of a month, you should not take it longer than a month.
Supplements can have cumulative effects, and these may not be known if no one has ever studied people who took the supplement over a long period of time. , Keep in mind that testimonials are unreliable, anecdotal evidence that won't really prove whether a weight-loss supplement really works.
However, they can provide you with some information regarding the experience of other individuals.Often, weight loss in a clinical setting will differ from the weight loss experienced by individuals not involved in a scientific trial.
For this reason, personal reviews and testimonials can give you a better understanding of how the supplement works in "real life." Focus on testimonials by people similar to you to get a better idea of whether that particular weight-loss supplement will really work for you.
Look for people that had similar goals to yours and are the same gender as you.
Ideally, they also should be the same age, general height and weight, and have a similar lifestyle.
It may be difficult to get enough information about someone and how they used the weight-loss supplement through the person's review for that review to really be valuable to you.
Be careful about putting too much weight on personal reviews and testimonials for this reason. , The ultimate goal of any marketing, advertisement, or promotional material is to sell product and turn a profit.
Particularly when you're dealing with individuals involved in multi-level marketing programs to sell dietary supplements, they may not have your best interests at heart.If someone's trying to sell you something, they will try to appeal to your needs and desires, and may make promises that they have no intention of keeping.
Sales pitches will highlight individual results that are not typical of the experiences most people taking that particular weight-loss supplement have.
Sometimes, the person to whom you're speaking may personally be one of those individuals who has experienced "miraculous" results after taking the supplement.
While the salesperson may be a real believer in the effectiveness of the supplement, that still doesn't mean the weight-loss supplement really works, or that it will be beneficial for you. , Before you take a particular weight-loss supplement, make sure you understand how it's meant to be taken and under what circumstances.
Typically, supplement claims rely on taking the supplement in combination with a healthy diet and regular exercise.Even if the product isn't regulated or controlled by a government agency, you should never exceed the dosage listed on the bottle.
Doing so could result in significant uncomfortable or unpleasant side effects, such as stomach problems, increased blood pressure, dry mouth, and dizziness.Follow the dosage instructions listed on the label.
For example, if the label states that you should always take the supplement with food, make sure you never take it on an empty stomach.
If you switch to a different brand of the same supplement, you still need to evaluate the label carefully.
Don't assume that you can take a new brand the same way you took the previous one, even if both have the same ingredients. -
Step 3: Consider personal reviews and testimonials.
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Step 4: View sales pitches with skepticism.
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Step 5: Read labels carefully.
Detailed Guide
You typically can find articles about published research online that has tested the weight loss claims of specific weight-loss supplements.
Keep in mind that researchers define "clinically meaningful weight loss" as at least 5 percent of total body weight over the course of a year.Unfortunately, it may be difficult to find significant studies on the supplements in which you're interested.
When you do find studies, look critically at who conducted the research and for what purpose.
For example, you want to give more weight to an independent study conducted by a government agency or a university than you would to a study done by a company that also sells the supplement being tested.
Weight-loss supplement manufacturers rarely complete extensive studies on the safety and effectiveness of their products before introducing them into the marketplace.Many studies involve small numbers of people, and only last a few months or even a few weeks.
These studies aren't broad enough for you to get an accurate picture of whether the supplement has long-term effectiveness.
Avoid taking a weight-loss supplement for a longer period of time than researchers have spent testing its safety and effectiveness.
This means that if a study only tested the safety of the supplement over the space of a month, you should not take it longer than a month.
Supplements can have cumulative effects, and these may not be known if no one has ever studied people who took the supplement over a long period of time. , Keep in mind that testimonials are unreliable, anecdotal evidence that won't really prove whether a weight-loss supplement really works.
However, they can provide you with some information regarding the experience of other individuals.Often, weight loss in a clinical setting will differ from the weight loss experienced by individuals not involved in a scientific trial.
For this reason, personal reviews and testimonials can give you a better understanding of how the supplement works in "real life." Focus on testimonials by people similar to you to get a better idea of whether that particular weight-loss supplement will really work for you.
Look for people that had similar goals to yours and are the same gender as you.
Ideally, they also should be the same age, general height and weight, and have a similar lifestyle.
It may be difficult to get enough information about someone and how they used the weight-loss supplement through the person's review for that review to really be valuable to you.
Be careful about putting too much weight on personal reviews and testimonials for this reason. , The ultimate goal of any marketing, advertisement, or promotional material is to sell product and turn a profit.
Particularly when you're dealing with individuals involved in multi-level marketing programs to sell dietary supplements, they may not have your best interests at heart.If someone's trying to sell you something, they will try to appeal to your needs and desires, and may make promises that they have no intention of keeping.
Sales pitches will highlight individual results that are not typical of the experiences most people taking that particular weight-loss supplement have.
Sometimes, the person to whom you're speaking may personally be one of those individuals who has experienced "miraculous" results after taking the supplement.
While the salesperson may be a real believer in the effectiveness of the supplement, that still doesn't mean the weight-loss supplement really works, or that it will be beneficial for you. , Before you take a particular weight-loss supplement, make sure you understand how it's meant to be taken and under what circumstances.
Typically, supplement claims rely on taking the supplement in combination with a healthy diet and regular exercise.Even if the product isn't regulated or controlled by a government agency, you should never exceed the dosage listed on the bottle.
Doing so could result in significant uncomfortable or unpleasant side effects, such as stomach problems, increased blood pressure, dry mouth, and dizziness.Follow the dosage instructions listed on the label.
For example, if the label states that you should always take the supplement with food, make sure you never take it on an empty stomach.
If you switch to a different brand of the same supplement, you still need to evaluate the label carefully.
Don't assume that you can take a new brand the same way you took the previous one, even if both have the same ingredients.
About the Author
Justin West
Brings years of experience writing about crafts and related subjects.
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