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If it's too good to be true... The not-so-secret dream of everyone who’s ever tried to shed extra weight is that they could do so just by popping a pill. “What I hear most from my clients is that they want something easy, a quick fix,” says Dee Sandquist, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association based in Portland, Ore. “They all want that magic pill—but there isn’t one.” Dieters could be forgiven for thinking there might be a simple solution, though, with the hundreds of products out there claiming to offer a slimmer, leaner body in a bottle of colorful capsules. Here’s a look at six common myths about diet supplements. Once you’ve learned the truth behind each, you’ll be on your way to a better, healthier path to lasting weight loss with a realistic plan (like our free Feel Great Weight program) that really works. FACT: It’s still unclear whether hoodia makes it easier to skip dinner and save a few hundred calories, although there is some anecdotal evidence of the herb's powers. “Hoodia is reported to arrest hunger for those making long journeys in the desert,” explains Roberta Anding, RD, a clinical dietitian and the director of sports nutrition at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. The active ingredient in hoodia is believed to be a compound called P57. Research suggests that animals who have had P57 injected into their brains eat less, but this effect is unlikely to be replicated in humans taking hoodia capsules, Anding says. Hoodia hasn’t been studied in humans, and until it is the plant’s safety and ability to stop hunger are anyone's guess. FACT: Practically every supplement’s label—not to mention every weight-loss expert and dietitian—will tell you that if you want to shed pounds you’ll also need to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. Even the over-the-counter drug Alli, a half-strength version of the prescription weight-loss medication , should be thought of as a boost to dieting and exercise, not a replacement for either. If you take Alli, you’ll need to stick to a low-fat diet (no more than about 15 grams of fat per meal) or you could experience some pretty unpleasant side effects“Alli keeps your gut from absorbing some of the fat you eat,” explains Saul Shiffman, PhD, a senior scientific advisor to Pinney Associates in Pittsburgh. “So if people eat too much fat at a meal it’s flushed through, and they can feel bloated and even stain themselves.” The bottom line? Taking Alli may require a change in diet. FACT: “Green-tea extract may promote weight loss,” says Anding. But taking a green-tea supplement—or drinking cup after cup of the tea itself—isn't likely to produce significant or lasting weight loss.
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