Diet
& Weight Loss Patches Making
a Come Back
Diet patches are nothing new.
I remember they tried to bring
diet patches to the public once
before (maybe more than once)
yet they quickly disappeared because
people hadn't learned that the
patch is a viable way to deliver
medication. Now that we're more
familiar with using patches here
comes another wave of these products.
I was told I'd made a mistake
in my blog, The
Slimming Pool where I incorrectly
stated Bladderwrack is a diuretic
and I corrected that post. (So
sorry, and thanks for pointing
out the error). Bladderwrack is
not a diuretic, rather it is used
for low thyroid and goiter as
it has a high iodine content (all
edible seaweeds have high iodine
content). I still stand strong
in my statement that weight loss
patches do not work.
The weight loss patches I've
seen have Fucus Vesiculosus (bladderwrack),
a type of seaweed as the primary
ingredient. Bladderwrack is a
useful herb, but using it for
weight loss is as stretch. Many patches also contain Guarana, a stimulant herb, and Garcinia described here
at MedlinePlus.com.
In the early 1980s my husband
and I owned a natural foods store
called Bushel & Peck Produce.
I became interested in herbology
and studied herbs, specifically
those used for obesity and weight
loss. I experimented with making
my own capsules and tinctures
using herbs such as guarana, fennel
seed powder, cayenne powder, chickweed,
and others but never in any of
the herbals I read was bladderwrack
suggested. I read many books including
the teachings of Dr. John R. Christopher
and took a Master Herbalism course
by Michael Tierra. My point is
simply that this herb is not the
first choice for weight loss,
but rather a good choice if you
suffer from a low thyroid.
These patches continue to promote
that you need not diet or exercise
to lose weight but rather just
slap on a patch. This is nonsense.
It's unlawful to make these false
claims but that does not stop
the unscrupulous from developing
a bogus weight loss pill or patch,
advertising it heavily, reaping
the profits and then paying the
puny fines. These companies literally
make millions during the time
they are illegally selling worthless
products.
My main problem with
patches is they cannot contain
enough useful ingredients to be
of any value. One site
states, "Garcinia cambogia
is said to be useful as a weight
loss aid. Studies at Brandies
University ... showed positively
that HCA helps curb appetite,
and reducing (sic) food intake...
Hoffman La-Roche found that HCA
does ... inhibit fat production
and helps suppress the appetite.
A standard dosage of Garcinia
cambogia should have 500 mg of
HCA, to be taken 3 times a day,
30 to 60 minutes before each meal
along with plenty of water."
Next, they list the amount of
Garcinia in their patch:
"Amount Per Herbal Diet
Pad Application (Proprietary
Blend) Note:
what's so proprietary about
this blend?
Fucus Vesiculosus.....10mg
Garcinia Cambogia.....2mg
Guarana....2mg"
Okay, so if they say you should
have 500 mg. three times a day,
yet their patch contains only
2 mg of Garcinia then that seems
to be missing the dosage
mark by a wide margin.
In fact, there's no way to prove
how much is in each patch anyway.
Anyone with verifiable research
to prove me wrong, send it my
way. I'm happy to take a look.
Supplement Watch Article: More on Garcinia
Note this article also states
a typical dose would be 750-1500
mg of Garcinia cambogia, (standardized
for at least 50% HCA) taken in
2-3 divided doses about 30-60
minutes before eating. Again, didn't
they state there is
2 mg in each patch? Someone needs
to tell these folks their patch
doesn't measure up.
Of course
it's easy to see why they usually
don't mention how much is there:
people like me make a bunch of
noise and point out how it's not
enough to have any effect whatsoever.
The only thing guaranteed
to get thinner is your wallet.
These companies generally come
and go pretty quickly, but not
nearly fast enough to save thousands
of people from wasting their hard
earned money on these useless
products. For instance, in 2003
FDA sued "Peel Away the
Pounds," who then agreed
to pay over one million in damages
for making false and unsubstantiated
weight loss claims.
Diet Patch Inc. out
of Nevada was successfully sued
and put out of business for luring
potential consumers with "magic"
weight loss claims and "free
trial" offers advertised
on its Web site then fraudulently
billing consumers for hundreds
of dollars of unwanted and ineffective
weight loss products.
It was reported December 2004
that Canadian consumers will no
longer be subjected to false claims
about the Zyapex and
Dyapex Diet Patches from
Performance Marketing Ltd., as
part of a consent agreement registered
with the Competition Tribunal,
Performance Marketing has agreed
to refund consumers the full value
of the diet patches.
Yet these companies do business, and make millions of dollars (your dollars). The best way to fight back is with your wallet and simply refuse to believe the magic of a pill or potion. Supplements can help but they don't do it all; you must also make some changes in what or how you eat, whether you exercise, and be consistent in these changes, and then the magic happens.
The
FTC's: Weighing the Evidence in
Diet Ads
If the product promises you
don't have to make any changes
in what you eat, or how you exercise,
they are lying and it's obviously
a fraud. Just say no to these
ridiculous claims.
Where to Buy Bulk Herbs
Good
explanation of Bladderwrack
Mountain
Rose Herbs where I buy my bulk
herbs and spices
Guarana Seed Powder: $4.05 - 4
oz.
Green Tea Leaf Powder - $5.05
- 4 oz.
Garcinia - 4 oz. $5.00 |
Weight Loss Links
