A Systematic Review of Dietary Supplements and Alternative Therapies for Weight Loss

Abstract

ObjectiveDietary supplements and alternative therapies are commercialized as a panacea for obesity/weight gain as a result of the minimal regulatory requirements in demonstrating efficacy. These products may indirectly undermine the value of guideline‐driven obesity treatments. Included in this study is a systematic review of the literature of purported dietary supplements and alternative therapies for weight loss.MethodsA systematic review was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of dietary supplements and alternative therapies for weight loss in participants aged ≥18 years. Searches of Medline (PubMed), Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Embase (Ovid) were conducted. Risk of bias and results were summarized qualitatively.ResultsOf the 20,504 citations retrieved in the database search, 1,743 full‐text articles were reviewed, 315 of which were randomized controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of 14 purported dietary supplements, therapies, or a combination thereof. Risk of bias and sufficiency of data varied widely. Few studies (n = 52 [16.5%]) were classified as low risk and sufficient to support efficacy. Of these, only 16 (31%) noted significant pre/post intergroup differences in weight (range: 0.3‐4.93 kg).ConclusionsDietary supplements and alternative therapies for weight loss have a limited high‐quality evidence base of efficacy. Practitioners and patients should be aware of the scientific evidence of claims before recommending use.

Weight-related teasing as a source of consumer motivation for impulsive purchase intention of weight loss dietary supplements: insights from generation Z

“…Additionally, as presented in Table 3, report from the 121 participants corroborate previous research that discusses the well-established phenomenon of decreased appetite and food cravings associated with the consumption of such supplements (Poddar et al , 2011). Additionally, the findings that WLDS are not as effective as they claim are consistent with Batsis et al ’s (2021) previous findings that there is only a limited high-quality evidence base for weight loss.…”

“…In the current context, a sizable proportion of respondents portrayed a negative attitude towards the use of such supplements out of concern for possible side effects. Additionally, previous researchers have proposed the use of dietary supplements in conjunction with proper medical consultation (Batsis et al , 2021).…”

Improvement of Glycemic Control by a Functional Food Mixture Containing Maltodextrin, White Kidney Bean Extract, Mulberry Leaf Extract, and Niacin-Bound Chromium Complex in Obese Diabetic db/db Mice

“…Moreover, Cr alleviates endoplasmic reticulum stress, rescuing insulin receptor substrate (IRS) from ubiquitination. By directly regulating neurotransmitters, Cr may have potential effects on central control of satiety and energy homeostasis [ 52 ]. Hence, NBC, as one of the components, may potentiate the benefits of SFG as a dietary supplement in regulating the blood glucose homeostasis.…”

The Effect of Exposure to “Exemption” Video Advertisements for Functional Foods: A Randomized Control Study in Japan

“…However, several public health papers have raised questions about the effectiveness of functional foods [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Nonetheless, functional foods are widely advertised.…”