Natural Weight Loss Products can be Hazardous to your Health

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA

Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA

Walk in any grocery store, health food store or even your own gym and there you will find natural supplements that promise more energy, quick weight loss or better libido. Dr. Rob Danoff warns people that just because it says “natural” it doesn’t mean its safe.

Dr. Rob says that many of these natural products contain ingredients that are stimulants. The label may say that it contains, tea extract, cola nut or mate, but it doesn’t say anywhere on the label that these pleasant sounding ingredients are actually stimulants. These stimulants contain caffeine, and Dr. Rob cautions consumers that these stimulants are flooded with caffeine. In fact, Dr. Rob says that depending on the product, a full day’s dose of a natural weight loss supplement can jolt you with an amount of caffeine contained in up to 32 cans of caffeinated soda.

This is a recipe for disaster. Not only will these stimulants increase your heart rate and blood pressure, they may interact with your present medications. The natural supplement market is not regulated by the FDA, so it is important to remember when getting them, it is a “buyer beware.”

Be safe, be in charge of your health; ask your doctor, healthcare professional or pharmacist about these “natural” products. Just because it says natural, it doesn’t mean its safe. “Always speak. Ask. Know.” ™