I realize that by saying this, I just made more than a couple enemies.  Also, I’m sure I have disappointed many of you.  But fear not! Read on and I’ll give you a bit of hope.

Now I’m not saying that they all don’t work.  Some do, although the results never last and the side effects can range from unpleasant to downright dangerous.  Of course, it’s impossible for the average person to figure out if a weight loss product is any good or not.  Most doctors can’t even give you a good answer.  The reason for this is that most people don’t know what the ingredient’s even do.  If you Google a product, the first 10 or more results are going to be somehow paid for by the company selling the product you want to research (Google is a business after all).  On top of that, websites that “review” products also receive commission when someone buys a product from their site (affiliate marketing).  So, everything that the consumer and even doctor usually get is VERY biased.

How does one navigate this overwhelming library of bull$&!* out there?  We must take the time to look at individual ingredients.  That means researching each one and understanding what it does and how much needs to be used to have any effect.  For example, I took a popular weight loss pill and ran each ingredient through a crucible of scientific scrutiny.  The results are as follows:

1: Caffeine anhydrous – 250 mg

• Despite years of claims saying that caffeine promotes weight loss and helps burn fat, there is almost no data in humans (and not much in animals either) showing that caffeine helps you burn fat.  It may give you the energy you need to go work out and some studies show it may be a mild appetite suppressant, but it won’t give you that 6-pack.   One of the most important factors in weight loss is proper sleep.  So if you are sensitive to caffeine, then it may actually make losing weight harder for you by disrupting your sleep.

2: Green coffee extract (as C. canephora robusta) Standardized for 45% chlorogenic acids – 200 mg

• This is an interesting topic.  There have been no studies of this in humans (which doesn’t necessarily mean it doesn’t work).  However, all the studies that showed a positive effect used a ridiculous dose of 150mg per kilogram.  So, if you are 200lbs, you would need to take 13,600 mg a day for the same effect!  This means our magic weight loss formula containing 200 mg (actually only 90mg of the active chemical) isn’t going to do anything.

3:  L-carnitine L-tartrate – 100 mg

• This is an ingredient with some benefit (keep reading).  A substantial amount of research has been done on L-Carnitine.  Some of these studies show a minor improvement in energy and a minor increase in glucose sensitivity (which will help prevent weight gain slightly).  Now the bad news, the studies looking at it for weight loss have come up short.  No studies have shown that it helps with weight loss despite anecdotal evidence (otherwise known as “bro science”).

4:  L-theanine – 100mg

• This is a wonderful ingredient.  It is an amino acid that promotes attention, focus, and a sense of well-being.  It is well studied and quite safe, especially when combined with caffeine.  The sad part is that the dose is too low to have these effects.  This is a common problem with many supplements.  They have good ingredients, but the doses are too low to have any effect.  This company should have used 200mg of L-theanine to give it any effect.

5:  Cocoa extract (as Theobroma cacao) (seed) Standardized for 6% theobromine – 100mg

• Here we have another great ingredient.  This has been scientifically proven to improve circulation and improve total cholesterol status.  It is a great source of antioxidants that could slightly reduce inflammation.  However, studies done on its effects on weight loss have come back negative, showing that it has no effect. 

6:  Black pepper extract (as Piper nigrum) (fruit) Standardized for 95% piperine – 5mg

• This is simply added to decrease the body’s ability to break down and detoxify supplements and medication.  This a good thing for many supplements but can be very dangerous if you are on prescription medication.  It can make the medication stay in your system far longer than it should causing a few negative effects.  So, this product cannot be taken if you are on medication.

7:  Cayenne pepper (as Capsicum annuum) (fruit) – 5mg

• This is used for the same thing as number 6 above.  There is no synergistic effect, so this ingredient is a bit redundant.  Again, watch out if taking prescription drugs.

In summary, the above product (that has made MILIONS of dollars) that promotes weight loss doesn’t contain any ingredients needed to lose weight.  It’s a great gimmick however, making the user feel energized and just a little bit more focused.  This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, of course, but it should be marketed honestly.

There are, however, a few ingredients you should look for that can help you lose weight.  These are ingredients that have been heavily studied (I will leave out the ones that work but have very bad side effects).  I do need to stress that the dose of these ingredients makes all the difference in the world.  Too little, and nothing will happen.  Too much, and there could be consequences. 

1: Green tea extract – around 1000mg a day.

• This is something you want to see in all your “weight loss” pills.  It has been studied heavily and most of these studies have shown it to have an impact on weight loss.  It has even been shown to cause fat cells to die.  The best part is that it is also a wonderful anti-inflammatory which is a bonus. 

2: Alpha-Lipoc-Acid – around 1-200mg with each meal.

• This molecule is great because it helps manage your blood sugar.  It can lower blood sugar levels (so diabetics need to use with a little bit of caution, although it may be helpful).  If your blood sugar levels rise, your body makes insulin to drive it back down.  Insulin tells your body to store fat.  Long story short; alpha-lipoic-acid lowers your blood sugar keeping your insulin levels lower which makes gaining weight from meals harder.  It’s also a great antioxidant which will help protect your cells from damage.

3:  Ceylon Cinnamon – around 75mg with each meal.

• Ceylon cinnamon works very similarly to alpha-lipoic-acid.  It can lower blood sugar levels to prevent extra insulin telling your body to store fat.  Cinnamon in large doses can be toxic to the liver however, so making sure you use Ceylon Cinnamon (much less toxic) is important at the doses needed to lose weight. 

The three things listed above are the only scientifically proven supplements that will help you lose a few extra pounds (that are safe).  You can buy all 3 separately and use them however you want.  I’ve been using them for years and have had quite a bit of success, as have my clients.  Personally, now I just use APO-II which is just green tea extract and alpha-lipoic-acid (in the correct amount!).  This ends up being far more cost effective than buying all the ingredients separately.

By now I’m sure that your eyes are starting to glaze over, and your attention span is at its limit, but I need to stress one more thing.  ALL weight loss and muscle building tools; from steroids to surgery to supplements only work if you do your part.  You still need to watch your diet and get exercise.  Then these tools will help you reach your goals faster.  If you still eat crap and aren’t active, then there is nothing you can take that will help you.  You read this because at some level you want to make a change.  If that’s the case, then you still need to do your part.  Otherwise all the drugs, herbs, and injections are a waste of money.