Rapid weight loss can be quick and easy if you believe what the advertisements say.
Fad diets and weight loss supplements promise a slimmer body in no time.
Do any of these products really cause rapid weight loss? It is safe? And what are the risks of such a rapid weight loss?
Most rapid weight loss pitches fall into these categories:
Starvation diets
The lemon diet or the pineapple diet, lose 7 kilos in 5 days! Variations on these diets have been around since at least the 1950s. They also often promise to “detox” through colonics or enemas.
Diet pills and supplements
Dozens of diet pills promise to accelerate weight loss. They generally claim to block nutrient absorption, increase metabolism, or burn fat.
Very low-calorie diets
A proven method of losing weight quickly is the medically supervised very low calorie diet. Most of what is known about rapid weight loss comes from studies of people who follow these diets.
Does Rapid Weight Loss Work?
In the USA, the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) regulates dietary supplements; however, he treats them like food rather than medicine.
The FDA also does not regulate claims made for over-the-counter weight loss products. Unlike drug manufacturers, supplement manufacturers do not have to prove that their products are safe or effective before they are sold on the market.
Aside from the very low calorie diet and weight loss surgery, no other product, pill or diet has been shown to work for rapid weight loss.
In conclusion, in any rapid weight loss plan, what really burns fat is not a pill or type of food. It is the substantial reduction of calories, combined with exercise.
