Only 2 out of 12 supplement companies were found to have accurately labeled weight-loss products.
A national survey revealed that one-third of adults attempting weight loss have turned to dietary supplements, spending billions of dollars annually. Many mistakenly believed that over-the-counter weight-loss products needed FDA approval or warning labels about potential side effects, which is not the case.
In a video titled Friday Favorites: Are Weight Loss Supplements Safe and Effective?, it is noted that the FDA estimates dietary supplements cause 50,000 adverse events annually, with common effects being liver and kidney damage. Lack of government oversight means there is no guarantee that products are accurately labeled or contain what is listed.
Manufacturers’ testing of products like Metabolife 356 showed minimal side effects, but wider usage led to thousands of adverse effects, prompting its withdrawal from the market. Further FDA inspections found that 70% of supplement manufacturers violated quality standards, including basic sanitation and ingredient identification.
DNA testing of herbal supplements found many to be mislabeled, with key ingredients missing or substituted with harmful substitutes like laxatives. A study commissioned by the New York State Attorney General discovered major retailers selling herbal supplements that did not contain the labeled ingredients.
For more information on weight-loss medications, refer to Are Weight Loss Pills Safe? and Are Weight Loss Pills Effective?, and explore the best weight-loss strategies in the book How Not to Diet.
