Weight Loss Fraud and Ingredients to Avoid

Spotting Fraud

Consult with your health care professional before taking dietary supplements to treat obesity or other diseases. All consumers should be familiar with the following signs of health fraud:

Promises of an "easy" fix for problems like excess weight, hair loss, or impotency.

Claims such as "scientific breakthrough," "miraculous cure," "secret ingredient," and "ancient remedy."

Impressive-sounding terms, such as "hunger stimulation point" and "thermogenesis" for a weight loss product.

Claims that the product is safe because it is "natural."

Undocumented case histories or personal testimonials by consumers or doctors claiming amazing results.

Promises of no-risk, money-back guarantees.


'You want quick easy weight loss, without diet or exercise? Look no further! We have the one and only product that is guaranteed to work!'
Reality Check: Scammers often dress up actors to look like doctors to promote their product.

MAGIC DIET PILL
Reality Check: There is no 'magic pill' for weight loss. Expensive, natural or herbal do not always mean safe and effective.

INSTANT FAT DISSOLVER 'Lose it before your eyes'
Reality Check: Be wary of promises of quick and easy weight loss without diet or exercise.
'Read our customer testimonials to see how great our product works!'
Reality Check: Scammers often alter before and after pictures or provide testimonials to showcase unrealistic results.

I lost 10 pounds and 3 inches in one week!  Thanks Lose-It-Overnight!
Reality Check: DON’T Fall for Fraud! Learn to Spot It!  American consumers lose billions of dollars each year to health fraud schemes.  Worse than losing your money, you could lose your health.

'Goodbye pounds - and all it took was an afternoon of getting injected with the new super improved scientific formula.'
Reality Check: Beware of official looking web sites or using words such as 'Guaranteed' or 'Scientific Breakthrough'.


FDA tested weight loss products suspected to be unsafe and found sixty nine to be tainted with many different ingredients including controlled substances, seizure medications, prescription drugs, and drugs not even approved  in the United States.

Dietary supplements are NOT FDA Approved.

A common misconception is that the FDA has reviewed the dietary supplement products available in stores or online

Dietary Supplements firms are responsible for making sure claims are true and products are safe.
Some of the products claim to be “natural” or only contain “herbal” ingredients, but actually contain potentially harmful ingredients not listed on the product’s label or in promotional advertisements.  These products have not been approved by the FDA, are illegal, and may be potentially harmful to unsuspecting consumers.


Know what you’re taking.
Be aware of the ingredients contained in any weight loss products.  Some ingredients, including nutrients and plant components, can be toxic.  Also, some ingredients and products can be harmful when consumed in high amounts, when taken for a long time, or when used in combination with certain other drugs, substances, or foods.

Do your research, it can save your health.
Research the product with the Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Better Business Bureau before you purchase any weight loss products or services. This may not only save you time and money, but may also save your health.

Always check with your doctor.
Weight loss products, including those that contain dietary supplements, herbals, and vitamins may be harmful in individuals with certain medical conditions or can interact with other medications. Therefore, always consult with your doctor before starting any weight loss product or program.


False and misleading claims are being made about lipodissolve products.  Learn the facts.

'Lipodissolve will melt your fat away...without surgery... without downtime... and with great results!
Reality Check: There are currently no FDA-approved injectable drugs to eliminate fat.
“Extremely effective for fat reduction!”
Reality Check: There is no credible scientific evidence that supports the effectiveness of any of the drug substances used in lipodissolve procedure for fat elimination.
“Over 100,000 treatments have been performed with no serious side effects reported.”
Reality Check: FDA has received several reports of permanent scarring, skin deformation and deep painful knots under the skin in areas where the lipodissolve treatments were injected.
"Lipodissolve can also help treaet Gynecomastia, Cellulite, Surgical Deformities, and Skin Retraction."
Reality Check: There is no credible scientific evidence that lipodissolve can treat any of these medical conditions.

source:


Unfortunately, FDA cannot test and identify all weight loss products on the market that have potentially harmful contaminants in order to assure their safety.  Enforcement actions and consumer advisories for unapproved products only cover a small fraction of the potentially hazardous weight loss products marketed to consumers on the internet and at some retail establishments.

More and more products tainted with prescription drugs, including drugs for erectile dysfunction, diabetes, and obesity, are finding their way into the U.S. marketplace.  Many are labeled as dietary supplements or supplements.  FDA takes this escalating issue very seriously, and is committed to doing all that it can to identify and remove these dangerous products from the market.

Have a look at this quick video from the US Food and Drug Admin

Ingredients to Avoid

DMAA

DMAA, also known as 1,3-dimethylamylamine, methylhexanamine or geranium extract, is an ingredient found illegally in some dietary supplements and often touted as a “natural” stimulant. DMAA, especially in combination with other ingredients such as caffeine, can be a health risk to consumers. Ingestion of DMAA can elevate blood pressure and lead to cardiovascular problems ranging from shortness of breath and tightening in the chest to heart attack. Dietary supplements containing DMAA are illegal.

Visit FDA for more info

Other Names:
1,3-dimethylamylamine
• 1,3-dimethylpentylamine
• 2-amino-4-methylhexane
• 2-hexanamine,4-methyl-(9Cl)
• 4-methyl-2-hexanamine
• 4-methyl-2-hexylamine
• 4-methylhexan-2-amine (IUPAC)
• C7H17N (chemical formula)
• CAS 105-41-9
• Crane's bill extract 200:1 (misnomer;
not necessarily DMAA)
• dimethylamylamine (DMAA)
• dimethylpentylamine (DMP)
• DMAA
• Floradrene
• Forthan
• Forthane
• Fouramin
• Geranamine (Proviant™)
• GeranaX
• Geranium extract
• Geranium flower extract
• Geranium oil
• Geranium oil extract
• Geranium stems and leaves
• Metexaminum
• Methexaminum
• Methylhexanamine
• Methylhexaneamine (MHA)
• Pelargonium (various)
• Pentylamine
• synthetic geranium

Methylpentane

Methylpentane is a chemical that is similar to the unsafe chemical 1,3-dimethylamylamine (DMAA) that has been banned by the US Food and Drug Administration. It is commonly found in supplements that claim to help people lose weight, improve athletic performance, and improve brain function.

Other Names:

• DMBA
• AMP Citrate

Products with Methylpentane:

• TruVision Health - TruWEIGHT&ENERGY

BITTER ORANGE

Bitter orange is a plant. The peel, flower, leaf, fruit, and fruit juice are used to make medicine.

Bitter orange peel is also used to improve appetite, and, in surprising contrast, it is also used for weight loss. Other uses for the fruit and peel are upset stomach, nasal congestion, and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Bitter orange is frequently used in “ephedra-free” products since the FDA banned ephedra in 2004 for serious side effects on the heart. Bitter orange and caffeine, a frequent combination in weight loss and bodybuilding products, can cause high blood pressure and increased heart rate in healthy adults with otherwise normal blood pressure. There is no evidence to suggest that bitter orange is any safer than ephedra.

Bitter orange (synephrine) is considered a banned substance by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

How does it work?

Bitter orange has many chemicals that affect the nervous system. The concentration and effect of these chemicals can change depending on the part of the plant and the method used for preparation. These chemicals can squeeze blood vessels, increase blood pressure, and cause the heart to beat faster.

Other Names:

• Aurantii Fructus, 
• Aurantii fructus immaturus, 
• Aurantii pericarpium, 
• Aurantium, Bigarade, 
• Bitter Orange Flower, 
• Bitter Orange Peel, 
• Chao Zhi Ke, Chisil, 
• Citrus amara, 
• Citrus aurantium, 
• Citrus Aurantium Fruit, 
• Citrus bigarradia, 
• Citrus vulgaris, 
• Extrait de Zeste d’Orange, 
• Fleur d’Orange Amère, 
• Flos Citri Auranti, 
• Fructus Aurantii, 
• Fructus Aurantii Immaturus, 
• Green Orange, 
• Kijitsu, 
• Methyl-Synephrine, 
• Methyl-Synephrine HCl, 
• Méthyl-Synéphrine HCl, 
• Methyl Synephrine, 
• N-Methyltyramine, 
• Naranja Amarga, 
• Neroli Oil, 
• Norsynephrine, 
• Octopamine, 
• Octopamine HCl, 
• Orange Amère, 
• Orange de Séville, 
• Orange Peel Extract, 
• Orange Verte, 
• Seville Orange, 
• Shangzhou Zhiqiao, 
• Sour Orange, 
• Synephrine, 
• Synéphrine, 
• Synephrine HCl, 
• Synéphrine HCl, 
• Synephrine Hydrochloride, 
• Zeste d’Orange Amère, 
• Zhi Ke, 
• Zhi Qiao, 
• Zhi Shi.

more info: 

Products with Bitter Orange

• Le-Vel Brands
• Thrive W contains Synephrine undisclosed amount
• Thrive M contains Synephrine undisclosed amount
• IDLife 
• Transformations contain 50mg P-Synephrine
• Energy Chews contain 50mg Synephrine
• Energy Drink
• TruVision Health
• TruWeight and Energy

According to Health Canada: A limit of 30 mg/day has been adopted as the maximum allowable dose for total synephrine

Green Tea

Higenamine

Higenamine is a chemical compound found in a variety of plants including Nandina domestica, Aconitum carmichaelii, Asarum heterotropioides, Galium divaricatum, Annona squamosa, and Nelumbo nucifera

Higenamine HCL is a substitue for DMAA

Higenamine is a chemical found in several plants including aconite, Annona squamosa, Nandina domestica (sacred bamboo), and others.

In supplements, higenamine is now showing up in products promoted as a pre-workout supplement for improving athletic performance. There is also interest in using higenamine for weight loss, cough, asthma, heart failure, and erectile dysfunction.

How does it work?

Higenamine works like a stimulant. In some parts of the body it causes tissues to relax. In other parts of the body, such as the heart, it causes tissue to contract. It seems to increase heart contractions and speed up the heart rate. 

Other Names: 

• 1-[(4-Hydroxyphenyl)methyl]-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-6,7-diol; 
• 1-(p-hydroxybenzyl)-6,7-Dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-Tetrahydroisoquinolin; 
• 1(S)-Norcoclaurine; 
• dl-Demethylcoclaurine; 
• DMC; 
• Higénamine; 
• Higenamine Hydrobromide; 
• Higenamine Hydrochloride; 
• Higenamine Oxalate; 
• Higenamine Tartrate; 
• Norcoclaurine; 
• O-Demethylcoclaurine.

Products with Higenamine;

• Plexus Worldwide 
• Accelerator +  (also contains Hordenine)
• Boost

Hordinine

Hordenine, or N,N-dimethyltyramine, is an alkaloid of the phenethylamine class that occurs naturally in a variety of plants, taking its name from one of the commonest, barley (Hordeum species). Chemically, hordenine is the N-methyl derivative of N-methyltyramine, and the N,N-dimethyl derivative of the well-known biogenic amine tyramine, from which it is biosynthetically derived and with which it shares some pharmacological properties (see below). Currently,^[1] hordenine is widely sold as an ingredient of nutritional supplements, with the claims that it is a stimulant of the central nervous system, and has the ability to promote weight loss by enhancing metabolism. In experimental animals, given sufficiently large doses parenterally (i.e. by injection), hordenine does produce an increase in blood pressure, as well as other disturbances of the cardio-vascular, respiratory and nervous systems. These effects are generally not reproduced by oral administration of the drug in test animals, and there are virtually no scientific reports of the effects of hordenine in human beings

Products with Hordinine;

• Plexus Worldwide 
• Accelerator +  (also contains Higenamine)
• Asset Intense

Ephedra (ma huang)

Ephedra is a herb that contains the following stimulants:

ephedrine

pseudoephedrine

phenylpropanolamine

The FDA banned supplements with ephedra in 2004 after it was linked to serious side effects, including:

• heart attack
• arrhythmia
• stroke
• psychosis
• seizures
• death