Caveat Emptor

On Saturday, while I was on the stationery bike at the gym,  I noticed on one of the TV screens an advertisement for a new weight loss product called Sensa.  It is a powdery substance that is sprinkled on your food and it allegedly triggers your brain to know when you are full and stops you from eating too much.  What I thought was a single commercial actually was an infomercial.  There were lots of before and after comparisons with frowning droopy fat bodies and toned happy thinner bodies thanks to Sensa!  I'm not planning on buying any.  The infomercial genre does not work on me.  If somebody needs to keep your attention for thirty or sixty minutes at a time to convince you to buy their product then it probably isn't worth buying.  The claims of a new scientific breakthrough will probably impress a lot of people to waste their money.  If something like this actually works word will get around.

I googled Sensa and found that the main ingredient is maltodextrin, which is a type of sugar made from cornstarch.  It also contains silica and tricalcium phosphate, soy and some milk products.  Nothing earth shattering here.  $139!!  For sugar, sand, calcium, soy and milk.

Weight loss parasite sold in early 20th century.  

The market for weight loss products is increasing exponentially with the obesity rate.  There is a lot of money to be made for the unethical, unscrupulous entrepreneur.  Of course the idea of marketing a miracle weight loss is hardly new.  In the early 20th century pills were available which supposedly contained eggs of tapeworms.  The worms grow to about 15 feet in length and eat themselves silly on anything that passes their way.  The idea of unlimited eating while losing weight is understandably appealing.  However, a fifteen foot worm with an insatiable appetite must put on some poundage of its own. Opera soprano Maria Callas claimed to have used a tapeworm in this way although it was rumored to be an accidental ingestion.  The fad never became widespread because, like so many others, it didn't really solve the problem and had many negative side effects like vomiting, diarrhea, organ damage and seizures.  Getting rid of the worm might be problematic too.

Are you supposed to eat the soap?

Another present-day "miracle product" is green coffee extract.  The claim here is malabsorption, which enables more eating with less consequences.  In an article from the LA times I read that the product is inexpensive but extremely bitter tasting.  The problem with limiting absorption of calories is that nutrients are not absorbed well either.  This issue is addressed by gastric bypass patients with vitamin and protein supplements. Green coffee extract has had limited testing in India.  The company is based in Texas but they conducted clinical trials in India?  Aren't people starving over there?  Did they have trouble finding enough obese individuals in this country?  Hmmm.

Olestra, a fat substitute, sounded promising before it came on the market.  It is a fat that cannot be absorbed by humans.  Labled as Olean, it was marketed in snacks by Proctor and Gamble.  In fine print was the warning that anal oil leakage was a possible side effect along with other "elimination changes".  Imagine serving these snacks at a party and giving your guests this little problem to take home.

Xenical, a prescription medication and Alli, available over the counter, both contain Orlistat which blocks absorbtion of fat.  Like Olestra, anal leakage and diarrhea are possible (probable) side effects.  In order for this to work properly one must eat a low fat diet. I actually tried this product and quickly gave it up.  The manufacturer should have suggested avoiding most fats for a week before beginning the medication.  The onset of blocking occurs right away and what I'd eaten for the previous few days was targeted which  made me socially unacceptable for a few days.

Hoodia, a product from a plant in the Kalahari Desert in Africa, reportedly decreases appetite.  A study with a mere SEVEN participants (some of whom took a placebo) in Pennsylvania had a result of losing an average of 3.3% of their body weight in 28 days.  There was a lot of advertising for Hoodia containing products for a while.  I don't remember any mention that the " incredible scientific proof" was based on the outcome of such a small study.

All this is very discouraging to those of us who've struggled with weight loss.  Self proclaimed "MIRACLES" are tempting.   Consider the old adage "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."  The desperate are likely customers for promises of cures for not only obesity but also baldness, impotence, cancer and infertility.  Some, but not all, are harmless.  Others delay seeking of effective treatment because the advertised cure seems much more attractive. My advice is to research before buying any of this stuff.  There is plenty of documentation on line to check out a product before spending money on something questionable.

Love to all,
Marlena of Mohegan