Dietary supplements

The theory about dietary supplements
There are many different types of supplements marketed towards those people who want to lose weight. Many make claims such as ‘will burn fat’, ‘boost your metabolism’ or ‘help curb your appetite’. It is important to read the ingredients list and also the accompanying literature as many supplements only claim to work ‘if combined with a calorie-controlled diet and exercise’. Always treat any radical claim with caution, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Our opinion on dietary supplements – marked out of 10 (10 stars being the highest)

Satisfying hunger
Good for health
Ease to follow
Expense
Overall rating

Overall verdict on dietary supplements
Any supplement making a claim that it can help weight loss must be accompanied by a calorie deficient diet, i.e. either you reduce the number of calories you eat or you increase the number of calories you use by exercising more. There are no magic ways to lose weight unfortunately, and many people mistakenly believe many of the unfounded claims that supplements make.

Cons about dietary supplements

• You should not take supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding; always read the label and ask your GP if in doubt.
• Many supplements make unfounded claims that are not truel; always be sceptical about any claim made.
• They must always be taken with a calorie-controlled diet and physical activity – maybe just the diet and physical activity would be a good place to start.
• They can be really expensive, a better idea would be to look at the food you eat and spend more on the ‘healthy’ foods such as fruit and vegetables and starchy foods.