There are many different weight loss solutions out there.
This includes all sorts of pills, drugs and natural supplements.
These are claimed to help you lose weight, or at least make it easier to lose weight combined with other methods.
They tend to work via one or more of these mechanisms:
Reduce appetite, making you feel more full so that you eat fewer calories
Reduce absorption of nutrients like fat, making you take in fewer calories
Increase fat burning, making you burn more calories
Here are the 12 most popular weight loss pills and supplements, reviewed by science.
1. Garcinia Cambogia Extract
Garcinia cambogia became popular worldwide after being featured on the Dr. Oz show in 2012.
It is a small, green fruit, shaped like a pumpkin.
The skin of the fruit contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA). This is the active ingredient in garcinia cambogia extract, which is marketed as a diet pill.
How it works: Animal studies show that it can inhibit a fat-producing enzyme in the body and increase levels of serotonin, potentially helping to reduce cravings (1, 2Trusted Source).
Effectiveness: One study with 130 people compared garcinia against a dummy pill. There was no difference in weight or body fat percentage between groups (3Trusted Source).
A 2011 review that looked at 12 studies on garcinia cambogia found that, on average, it caused weight loss of about 2 pounds (0.88 kg) over several weeks (4).
Side effects: There are no reports of serious side effects, but some reports of mild digestive problems.
BOTTOM LINE:
Even though garcinia cambogia may cause modest weight loss, the effects are so small that they probably won’t even be noticeable.
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2. Hydroxycut
There are several different types, but the most common one is simply called “Hydroxycut.”
How it works: It contains several ingredients that are claimed to help with weight loss, including caffeine and a few plant extracts.
Effectiveness: One study showed that it caused 21 lbs (9.5 kg) of weight loss over a 3 month period (5).
Side effects: If you are caffeine sensitive, you may experience anxiety, jitteriness, tremors, nausea, diarrhea and irritability.
BOTTOM LINE:
Unfortunately, there is only one study on this supplement and no data on long-term effectiveness. More research is needed.
3. Caffeine
Caffeine is the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world (6Trusted Source).
It is found naturally in coffee, green tea and dark chocolate, and added to many processed foods and beverages.
Caffeine is a well known metabolism booster, and is often added to commercial weight loss supplements.
How it works: Short-term studies have shown that caffeine can boost metabolism by 3-11%, and increase fat burning by up to 29% (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source, 9, 10).
Effectiveness: There are also some studies showing that caffeine can cause modest weight loss in humans (11Trusted Source, 12Trusted Source).
Side effects: In some people, high amounts of caffeine can cause anxiety, insomnia, jitteriness, irritability, nausea, diarrhea and other symptoms. Caffeine is also addictive and can reduce the quality of your sleep.
There really is no need to take a supplement or a pill with caffeine in it. The best sources are quality coffee and green tea, which also have antioxidants and other health benefits.
BOTTOM LINE:
Caffeine can boost metabolism and enhance fat burning in the short term. However, a tolerance to the effects may develop quickly.
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4. Orlistat (Alli)
Orlistat is a pharmaceutical drug, sold over-the-counter under the name Alli, and under prescription as Xenical.
How it works: This weight loss pill works by inhibiting the breakdown of fat in the gut, making you take in fewer calories from fat.
Effectiveness: According to a big review of 11 studies, orlistat can increase weight loss by 6 pounds (2.7 kg) compared to a dummy pill (13Trusted Source).
Other benefits: Orlistat has been shown to reduce blood pressure slightly, and reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 37% in one study (14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).
Side effects: This drug has many digestive side effects, including loose, oily stools, flatulence, frequent bowel movements that are hard to control, and others. It may also contribute to deficiency in fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E and K.
It is usually recommended to follow a low-fat diet while taking orlistat, in order to minimize side effects.
Interestingly, a low carb diet (without drugs) has been shown to be as effective as both orlistat and a low-fat diet combined (16Trusted Source).
BOTTOM LINE:
Orlistat, also known as Alli or Xenical, can reduce the amount of fat you absorb from the diet and help you lose weight. It has many side effects, some of which are highly unpleasant.
5. Raspberry Ketones
Raspberry ketone is a substance found in raspberries, which is responsible for their distinct smell.
A synthetic version of raspberry ketones is sold as a weight loss supplement.
How it works: In isolated fat cells from rats, raspberry ketones increase breakdown of fat and increase levels of a hormone called adiponectin, believed to be related to weight loss (17Trusted Source).
Effectiveness: There is not a single study on raspberry ketones in humans, but one rat study using massive doses showed that they reduced weight gain (18Trusted Source).
Side effects: They may cause your burps to smell like raspberries.
BOTTOM LINE:
There is no evidence that raspberry ketones cause weight loss in humans, and the rat studies showing it to work used massive doses.
6. Green Coffee Bean Extract
Green coffee beans are simply normal coffee beans that haven’t been roasted.
They contain two substances believed to help with weight loss, caffeine and chlorogenic acid.
How it works: Caffeine can increase fat burning, and chlorogenic acid can slow the breakdown of carbohydrates in the gut.
Effectiveness: Several human studies have shown that green coffee bean extract can help people lose weight (19Trusted Source, 20Trusted Source).
A review of 3 studies found that the supplement made people lose 5.4 more pounds (2.5 kg) than placebo, a dummy pill (21Trusted Source).
Other benefits: Green coffee bean extract may help lower blood sugar levels, and reduce blood pressure. It is also high in antioxidants (22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source).
Side effects: It can cause the same side effects as caffeine. The chlorogenic acid in it may also cause diarrhea, and some people may be allergic to green coffee beans (26Trusted Source).
BOTTOM LINE:
Green coffee bean extract may cause modest weight loss, but keep in mind that many of the studies were industry sponsored.
7. Glucomannan
Glucomannan is a type of fiber found in the roots of the elephant yam, also called konjac.
How it works: Glucomannan absorbs water and becomes gel-like. It “sits” in your gut and promotes a feeling of fullness, helping you eat fewer calories (27).
Effectiveness: Three human studies showed that glucomannan, combined with a healthy diet, can help people lose 8-10 pounds (3.6-4.5 kg) of weight in 5 weeks (28Trusted Source).
Other benefits: Glucomannan is a fiber that can feed the friendly bacteria in the intestine. It can also lower blood sugar, blood cholesterol and triglycerides, and is very effective against constipation (29Trusted Source, 30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source).
Side effects: It can cause bloating, flatulence and soft stools, and can interfere with some oral medications if taken at the same time.
It is important to take glucomannan about a half an hour before meals, with a glass of water. If you would like to try it, Amazon has a good selection available.
You can find an objective review of glucomannan in this article.
BOTTOM LINE:
Studies consistently show that the fiber glucomannan, when combined with a healthy diet, can help people lose weight. It also leads to improvements in various health markers.
8. Meratrim
Meratrim is a relative newcomer on the diet pill market.
It is a combination of two plant extracts that may change the metabolism of fat cells.
How it works: It is claimed to make it harder for fat cells to multiply, decrease the amount of fat that they pick up from the bloodstream, and help them burn stored fat.
Effectiveness: So far, only one study has been done on Meratrim. A total of 100 obese people were placed on a strict 2000 calorie diet, with either Meratrim or a dummy pill (32Trusted Source).
After 8 weeks, the Meratrim group had lost 11 pounds (5.2 kg) of weight and 4.7 inches (11.9 cm) off their waistlines. They also had improved quality of life and reduced blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides.
Side effects: No side effects have been reported.
For a detailed review of Meratrim, read this article.
BOTTOM LINE:
One study showed that Meratrim caused weight loss and had a number of other health benefits. However, the study was industry sponsored and more research is needed.
9. Green Tea Extract
This is because numerous studies have shown the main antioxidant in it, EGCG, to aid fat burning.
How it works: Green tea extract is believed to increase the activity of norepinephrine, a hormone that helps you burn fat (33).
Effectiveness: Many human studies have shown that green tea extract can increase fat burning and cause fat loss, especially in the belly area (34Trusted Source, 35Trusted Source, 36Trusted Source, 37).
Side effects: Green tea extract is generally well tolerated. It does contain some caffeine, and may cause symptoms in people who are caffeine sensitive.
Additionally, all of the health benefits of drinking green tea should apply to green tea extract as well.
BOTTOM LINE:
Green tea and green tea extract can increase fat burning slightly, and may help you lose belly fat.
10. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
Conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, has been a popular fat loss supplement for years.
It is one of the “healthier” trans fats, and is found naturally in some fatty animal foods like cheese and butter.
How it works: CLA may reduce appetite, boost metabolism and stimulate the breakdown of body fat (38Trusted Source, 39Trusted Source).
Effectiveness: In a major review of 18 different studies, CLA caused weight loss of about 0.2 pounds (0.1 kg) per week, for up to 6 months (40Trusted Source).
According to another review study from 2012, CLA can make you lose about 3 lbs (1.3 kg) of weight, compared to a dummy pill (41Trusted Source).
Side effects: CLA can cause various digestive side effects, and may have harmful effects over the long term, potentially contributing to fatty liver, insulin resistance and increased inflammation.
BOTTOM LINE:
CLA is an effective weight loss supplement, but it may have harmful effects over the long term. The small amount of weight loss is not worth the risk.
11. Forskolin
Forskolin is an extract from a plant in the mint family, claimed to be effective for losing weight.
How it works: It is believed to raise levels of a compound inside cells called cAMP, which may stimulate fat burning (42Trusted Source).
Effectiveness: One study in 30 overweight and obese men showed that forskolin reduced body fat and increased muscle mass, while having no effect on body weight. Another study in 23 overweight women found no effects (43Trusted Source, 44Trusted Source).
Side effects: There is very limited data on the safety of this supplement, or the risk of side effects.
BOTTOM LINE:
The two small studies on forskolin have shown conflicting results. It is best to avoid this supplement until more research is done.
12. Bitter Orange / Synephrine
Synephrine is related to ephedrine, which used to be a popular ingredient in various weight loss pill formulations.
However, ephedrine has since been banned as a weight loss ingredient by the FDA because of serious side effects.
How it works: Synephrine shares similar mechanisms with ephedrine, but is less potent. It can reduce appetite and significantly increase fat burning (45Trusted Source).
Effectiveness: Very few studies have been done on synephrine, but ephedrine has been shown to cause significant short-term weight loss in many studies (46Trusted Source).
Side effects: Like ephedrine, synephrine may have serious side effects related to the heart. It may also be addictive.
BOTTOM LINE:
Synephrine is a fairly potent stimulant, and probably effective for weight loss in the short term. However, the side effects can be serious, so this should only be used with extreme caution.
Prescription Medication
Additionally, there are many prescription weight loss pills that have been shown to be effective.
The most common ones are Contrave, Phentermine, and Qsymia.
According to a recent 2014 review study, even prescription weight loss pills don’t work as well as you would hope.
On average, they may help you lose up to 3-9% of body weight compared to a dummy pill (47Trusted Source).
Keep in mind that this is only when combined with a healthy weight loss diet. They are ineffective on their own, and hardly a solution to obesity.
Not to mention their many side effects.
Take Home Message
Out of the 12, these are the clear winners, with the strongest evidence to back them up:
Weight loss: Glucomannan, CLA and Orlistat (Alli)
Increased fat burning: Caffeine and green tea extract
However, I have to advise against Orlistat due to the unpleasant side effects, and against CLA due to the harmful effects on metabolic health.
That leaves us with glucomannan, green tea extract and caffeine.
These supplements can be useful, but the effects are modest at best.
Unfortunately, NO supplement or pill really works that well for weight loss.
They may give your metabolism a bit of a nudge and help you lose a few pounds, but that’s where it ends, unfortunately.
Cutting carbs and eating more protein are still the best ways to lose weight, and work better than all the diet pills combined.
NUTRITION
8 "Fad" Diets That Actually Work
Written by Franziska Spritzler — Updated on August 28, 2017
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Fad diets are extremely popular for losing weight.
They typically promise rapid weight loss and other health benefits, yet often have no scientific evidence supporting their use. In addition, they are often nutritionally unbalanced and ineffective over the long term.
However, there are some “fad” diets that have been found to produce weight loss in high-quality, controlled studies.
What’s more, these diets can be healthy, well-balanced and sustainable.
Here are eight “fad” diets that actually work.
1. Atkins Diet
The Atkins diet is the most famous low-carb weight loss diet in the world.
Created by cardiologist Robert Atkins in the early 1970s, the Atkins diet claims to produce rapid weight loss without hunger.
It consists of four stages, including an initial two-week Induction Phase that restricts carbs to 20 grams per day, while allowing unlimited amounts of protein and fat.
During this phase, your body begins converting fat into compounds called ketones and switches to using these as its main source of energy.
After this, the Atkins diet asks its followers to gradually add back their carbs in 5-gram increments in order to determine their “critical carbohydrate levels” for losing weight and maintaining the loss.
In the famous A TO Z study, 311 overweight women followed the Atkins diet, the low-fat Ornish diet, the LEARN diet or the Zone diet for one year. The Atkins group lost more weight than any other group (4Trusted Source).
Other controlled studies have shown similar results with low-carb diets based on Atkins principles, along with improvements in heart disease risk factors.
You can read all about the Atkins diet here.
SUMMARY:
The Atkins diet is a high-protein, high-fat diet that restricts carbs and gradually adds them back in, based on personal tolerance. Studies have shown it is one of the most effective ways to lose weight.
2. South Beach Diet
He liked certain aspects of the Atkins diet, but was concerned that unrestricted use of saturated fat might increase the risk of heart disease.
Therefore, in the mid-1990s he created a lower-carb, lower-fat, high-protein diet called the South Beach Diet, named for the area in South Florida where he practiced medicine.
Although Stage 1 of the diet is low in carbs and very low in fat, the diet becomes less restrictive in Phases 2 and 3, which allow limited quantities of all types of unprocessed foods while keeping protein intake high.
The diet encourages a high intake of protein, because protein has been shown to burn more calories during digestion than carbs or fat (9Trusted Source).
In addition, protein stimulates the release of hormones that suppress hunger and can help you feel full for hours (10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source).
A large review of 24 studies found that high-protein, low-fat diets led to greater reductions in weight, fat and triglycerides and better retention of muscle mass than low-fat, standard-protein diets (12Trusted Source).
There are many anecdotal reports of weight loss on the South Beach Diet, as well as a published 12-week study looking at its effects.
In this study, pre-diabetic adults dropped an average of 11 pounds (5.2 kg) and lost an average of 2 inches (5.1 cm) off their waists.
Additionally, they experienced a reduction in fasting insulin levels and an increase in cholecystokinin (CCK), a hormone that promotes fullness (13Trusted Source).
Although the diet is nutritious overall, it requires an unwarranted drastic restriction of saturated fat and encourages the use of processed vegetable and seed oils, which may lead to all kinds of health problems.
You can learn more about the South Beach Diet by reading this article, or get started here.
SUMMARY:
The South Beach Diet is a high-protein, lower-carb, lower-fat diet that has been shown to produce weight loss and reduce heart disease risk factors.
3. Vegan Diet
Vegan diets have become very popular among people looking to lose weight.
They’ve been criticized for being unbalanced and extreme because they contain no animal products. On the other hand, they have also been praised for being an ethical, healthy way of eating.
Importantly, vegan diets can be healthy or unhealthy, depending on the types of foods they contain. It’s unlikely that you can lose weight while eating large amounts of processed foods and beverages.
However, studies have shown that vegan diet
4. Ketogenic Diet
It works by lowering levels of insulin and shifting your primary fuel source from sugar to ketones. These compounds are made from fatty acids, and your brain and other organs can burn them for energy.
When your body doesn’t have carbs to burn and switches to ketones, you’re in a state called ketosis.
However, unlike the Atkins and other low-carb diets, ketogenic diets don’t gradually increase their carbs. Instead, they keep carb intake very low to ensure followers stay in ketosis.
Indeed, ketogenic diets typically provide less than 50 grams of total carbs per day, and often less than 30.
A large analysis of 13 studies found that ketogenic diets not only boost the loss of weight and body fat, but may also reduce inflammatory markers and disease risk factors in those who are overweight or obese (17Trusted Source).
In a controlled two-year study of 45 obese adults, those in the ketogenic group dropped 27.5 pounds (12.5 kg), and lost 29 inches (11.4 cm) from their waists, on average.
This was significantly more than the low-fat group, even though both groups were calorie-restricted (18Trusted Source).
Moreover, even when calories aren’t intentionally restricted, ketogenic diets tend to reduce calorie intake. A recent review of several studies has suggested that this may be because ketones help suppress appetite (19Trusted Source).
Read this article to find out more about how a ketogenic diet can help you lose weight.
SUMMARY:
Ketogenic diets often provide less than 30 grams of carbs per day. They’ve been shown to promote loss of weight and belly fat, and to lower the risk of disease in overweight and obese people.
5. Paleo Diet
6. The paleo diet, short for the paleolithic diet, is based on the diets that hunter-gatherers ate thousands of years ago.
Paleo has been classified as a fad diet because it restricts many foods, including dairy, legumes and grains. In addition, critics have pointed out that it isn’t practical or even possible to eat the same foods that our prehistoric ancestors did.
However, the paleo diet is a balanced, healthy way of eating that eliminates processed foods and encourages its followers to eat a wide variety of plant and animal foods.
In addition, studies suggest that the paleo diet may also help you lose weight and become healthier (20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source, 22Trusted Source).
In one study, 70 obese older women followed either a paleo diet or a standard diet. After six months, the paleo group had lost significantly more weight and abdominal fat than the other group.
They also had a greater reduction in triglyceride levels in the blood (21Trusted Source).
What’s more, this way of eating may promote the loss of visceral fat, the particularly dangerous type of fat found in your abdomen and liver that promotes insulin resistance and increases the risk of disease.
In a five-week study, 10 obese older women who ate a paleo diet lost 10 pounds (4.5 kg) and had a 49% reduction in liver fat, on average. In addition, the women experienced reductions in blood pressure, insulin, blood sugar and cholesterol (22Trusted Source).
You can learn more about the paleo diet and how it can help you lose weight here.
SUMMARY:
The paleo diet is based on ancestral eating principles that focus on whole, unprocessed foods. Research suggests it may help you lose weight and improve your overall health.
6. The Zone Diet
7. The Zone diet was created in the mid-1990s by Dr. Barry Sears, a US-based biochemist.
It has been classified as a fad diet due to its premise that a strict ratio of protein, fat and carbs is required for optimal weight loss and overall health.
This eating plan specifies that your calorie intake should be made up of 30% lean protein, 30% healthy fat and 40% high-fiber carbs. In addition, these foods are to be consumed as a prescribed number of “blocks” at meals and snacks.
One of the ways the Zone diet is proposed to work is by reducing inflammation, which allows you to lose weight more easily.
Studies to date suggest the Zone diet can be effective for losing weight and reducing blood sugar, insulin resistance and inflammation (23Trusted Source, 24, 25Trusted Source).
In a controlled, six-week study of overweight adults, those who ate the Zone diet lost more weight and body fat than the low-fat group. They also reported a 44% reduction in fatigue, on average (24).
In another study, 33 people followed one of four different diets. The Zone diet was shown to help participants lose the most fat, and to increase the ratio of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids to omega-6 fatty acids (25Trusted Source).
You can learn more about the Zone diet by reading this article.
SUMMARY:
The Zone diet specifies a diet composed of 30% lean protein, 30% healthy fat and 40% high-fiber carbs. Research suggests it may help you lose weight and reduce inflammation.
7. The Dukan Diet
8. Looking at the initial stages of the Dukan Diet, it’s easy to see why it is often classified as a fad diet.
Developed by French doctor Pierre Dukan in the 1970s, the Dukan Diet consists of four stages. It starts with the Attack Phase, which consists almost entirely of unlimited lean-protein foods.
The rationale for this very high protein intake is that it will lead to rapid weight loss as a result of boosting metabolism and significantly decreasing appetite.
Other foods are added with each stage until the Stabilization Phase, where no foods are strictly off-limits, but high-protein foods and vegetables are encouraged. The final phase also requires that you eat only Attack Phase foods once a week.
As extreme as this diet seems, it does appear to produce weight loss.
Polish researchers assessed the diets of 51 women who followed the Dukan Diet for 8–10 weeks. The women lost an average of 33 pounds (15 kg) while consuming about 1,000 calories and 100 grams of protein per day (26Trusted Source).
Although there isn’t much research on the Dukan Diet specifically, studies have found that similar high-protein diets may be effective for weight loss (27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source).
Indeed, a systematic review of 13 controlled studies found that high-protein, low-carb diets are more effective than low-fat diets for producing weight loss and reducing the risk factors for heart disease (30Trusted Source).
If you are interested in learning more about the Dukan Diet, read this article.
SUMMARY:
The Dukan Diet begins with a nearly all-protein diet and allows other foods in its later stages. Like other high-protein, low-carb diets, it can promote rapid weight loss while controlling hunger.
8. The 5:2 Diet
9. The 5:2 diet, also called the fast diet, is a type of intermittent fasting known as alternate-day fasting.
On this diet, you eat normally for five days a week and restrict your calorie intake to 500–600 calories for two days each week, resulting in an overall calorie deficit that leads to weight loss.
The 5:2 diet is considered a form of modified alternate-day fasting. By contrast, some types of alternate-day fasting involve going without food for a full 24 hours.
The extremely low calorie allotment on the two “fast” days has led some to classify the 5:2 diet as a fad diet.
However, the evidence supporting the health benefits of alternate-day fasting is growing, and it seems to be a legitimate option for weight loss (31).
Research suggests that alternate-day fasting doesn’t cause excessive calorie intake on eating days. This may be due to the release of peptide YY (PYY), a hormone that makes you feel full and helps you eat less (32Trusted Source).
Importantly, alternate-day fasting hasn’t been shown to cause greater weight loss than standard diets containing the same number of calories.
However, several studies have found that both approaches can be effective for losing weight and belly fat (33Trusted Source, 34Trusted Source).
What’s more, although it isn’t possible to completely prevent loss of muscle while losing weight, alternate-day fasting seems to be superior for maintaining muscle mass when compared to conventional forms of calorie restriction (33Trusted Source, 34Trusted Source).
You can learn more about the 5:2 diet by reading this article.
SUMMARY:
The 5:2 diet is a form of alternate-day fasting that involves eating 500–600 calories two days a week, and eating normally otherwise. It’s been found effective for losing weight and fat while protecting against muscle loss.
The Bottom Line
Fad diets will always be popular, and new plans will continue to be created to address people’s desire to lose weight quickly.
Although many so-called fad diets are unbalanced and don’t live up to their claims, there are several that actually do.
However, just because a diet is effective for weight loss doesn’t mean it is sustainable long-term.
To achieve and maintain your weight loss goal, it’s important to find a healthy way of eating that you enjoy and can follow for life.
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