Scientists argue that natural weight loss supplements do not work. Could it be that they are influenced by financial support from big drug companies that make weight loss drugs? Here is my perspective on the latest scientific commentary on weight loss and what it means in reality.
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Before you read the article below, keep in mind that scientists are not the objective robots that you might expect them to me. They (we) are biased. The good ones recognize their bias and deal with it appropriately. My bias is natural approaches to health as opposed to using prescription medications. After you read the article that I link here, read more about the natural approach to weight loss below. Thanks!
No Evidence That Popular Slimming Supplements Facilitate Weight …
The analysis summarizes the state of evidence from reviews of studies involving nine popular slimming supplements, including chromium picolinate, Ephedra, bitter orange, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, guar gum, glucomannan, … However, more rigorous research is needed, he said, as only very few trials have been of long duration and the number of patients in most of the trials has been small — factors which together limit the conclusions that can be drawn about …
Publish Date: 08/25/2010 3:05
http://www.sciencemagnews.com/no-evidence-that-popular-slimming-supplements-facilitate-weight-loss-new-research-finds.html
Tired Criticisms
Every study or commentary almost has to include the same basic, meaningless criticisms as follows:
“There is no evidence…” (Does NOT mean, “The evidence contradicts…” It just means we have no evidence one way or another.)
“We need larger, long-term clinical trials…” (This will never happen. It costs several thousand dollars per person in a clinical trial. Only drug companies that have a lot of money can afford to test something via such clinical trials.)
“We don’t understand how it works…” (Common criticism of everything. Physicists still have no idea of how gravity works, and yet they still know that it works!)
“No better than a placebo…” (The concept of placebo is completely misunderstood in modern medicine and used inappropriately in almost all medical research. The so-called golden standard of placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trials is really a big bad joke that is designed to get drugs approved by the FDA. Caveat emptor!
Note that one of the researchers quoted in the article above receives financial support from GlaxoSmithKline. That does not automatically mean anything. It is sure a big red flag, though.
I feel as though I’ve vented a little bit here. My apologies. Sometimes I just get worn down by all the propaganda and disinformation against natural therapies that bombard the us all. My bias.
In balance, I do feel it important to say that the supplements industry is also fraught with bias, propaganda, and disinformation. Weight loss supplements seem to be the worst offenders. Nevertheless, plenty of good information and good products are out there. You just have to have a good eye for them (or keep in touch with me!)
All the best for natural weight loss supplements,
Dr. D
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