Summer is over; the kids are back in school; vacations have become memories; and more and more folks turn their attention to the task of "dropping those few extra pounds" before the holidays.
It is such a widespread phenomenon that the weight loss industry refers to it as, "the winter diet season.
" Especially during these months, many well-intentioned (but misguided) individuals opt for what they think are "safe and natural" methods that will accelerate weight loss with minimal habit change.
Recently, Abbott Laboratories, manufacturer of Meridia, opted to pull the diet drug from the market after failing to win the approval of a safety advisory panel affiliated with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The latter requested that Abbott withdraw the drug; they complied.
At the same time, the FDA warned consumers against a dietary supplement - Slimming Beauty Bitter Orange Slimming Capsules- due to its active ingredient, Sibutramine, (found in Meridia).
For perspective, the FDA approved Sibutramine in 1997 for obesity management, including weight loss and maintenance of weight loss (which - I point out - they said should be combined with diet and exercise).
Twelve years later, a major study found that patients with a history of cardiovascular disease who took such medications had an elevated risk of heart attacks and stroke, as well as uneven heartbeat and shortness of breath.
What's particularly troubling is that a recent report shows that many supplements, which bill themselves as "natural," are actually laden with laboratory drugs - including some illegal ones.
Researchers in Hong Kong analyzed 81 weight-loss products taken by patients who came in to the hospital for treatment for poisoning (one of which had died).
They discovered two or more pharmaceutical agents in 61 of the supplements, and two supplements contained six drugs.
The authors caution their findings should not be interpreted as a full analysis of the weight-loss supplement market; yet, it bears noting that in the good ole U.
S.
of A.
, approximately $34 billion is spent annually on alternative medicine, including supplements.
This equates to about $110 per man, woman, and child per year.
Many of these products, sometimes called "botanical supplements" or "herbal remedies," are not well studied according to research published in Chemical & Engineering News.
In some cases, they note, the ingredients could even be dangerous.
Within the last two years, the FDA has alerted consumers about 72 weight-loss supplements containing such undeclared drugs.
In addition to the above-referenced Sibutramine, they found Fluoxetine, an antidepressant best known as Prozac.
More disturbingly, a number of them contained banned drugs; including the laxative phenolphthalein, which was outlawed because of an association with cancer.
More notoriously, the appetite suppressant Fenfluramine was found in several supplements.
As a refresher, Fenfluramine was the "fen" in the Fen-phen diet pill, which was pulled from the U.
S.
in 1997 for its association with heart attacks.
Herbs, vitamins, or natural supplements can be excellent additions to increase one's health.
However, it's urgent to remember that "health" is always the top objective, and the most "natural" way to enhance that is to move a little more and eat a little less.
It might not be quick, but there are very few side effects.