Evidence for the efficacy and safety of herbal weight loss preparations

Farrington, Rachael; Musgrave, Ian F.; Byard, Roger W.

doi:10.1016/j.joim.2019.01.009

Cited by 25 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 80 publications

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“…The epidemic of obesity and its comorbidities represents an increasingly worrisome medical and economic burden according to WHO reports [1]. Several strategies are available for weight loss and maintenance, such as the modification of lifestyle (diet and physical activity), pharmacology and surgery [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. Many dietary patterns have been proposed throughout the years, and although several authors tried to determine what was best, it is now acknowledged that there is no optimal choice for each patient both efficacy-and safety-wise, and the treatment should be tailored to the needs, habits, and clinical condition [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Very Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet: A Safe and Effective Tool for Weight Loss in Patients with Obesity and Mild Kidney Failure

Bruci¹,

et al. 2020

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Very low-calorie ketogenic diets (VLCKD) are an effective and increasingly used tool for weight loss. Traditionally considered high protein, ketogenic diets are often looked at with concern by clinicians due to the potential harm they pose to kidney function. We herein evaluated the efficacy and safety of a VLCKD in patients with obesity and mild kidney failure. A prospective observational real-life study was conducted on ninety-two patients following a VLCKD for approximately 3 months. Thirty-eight had mild kidney failure and fifty-four had no renal condition and were therefore designated as control. Anthropometric parameters, bioelectrical impedance and biochemistry data were collected before and at the end of the dietary intervention. The average weight loss was nearly 20% of initial weight, with a significant reduction in fat mass. We report an improvement of metabolic parameters and no clinically relevant variation regarding liver and kidney function. Upon stratification based on kidney function, no differences in the efficacy and safety outcomes were found. Interestingly, 27.7% of patients with mild renal failure reported normalization of glomerular filtrate after dietary intervention. We conclude that, when conducted under the supervision of healthcare professionals, a VLCKD is an effective and safe treatment for weight loss in patients with obesity, including those affected by mild kidney failure.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Very Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet: A Safe and Effective Tool for Weight Loss in Patients with Obesity and Mild Kidney Failure

Bruci¹,

et al. 2020

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“…Herbal remedies should be considered as safe, harmless, and without adverse effects. They are used for many conditions, such as substance use disorder treatment, sexual performanceenhancing, endocrine disorders, and obesity treatment [3,4]. The therapeutic modalities with herbal remedies have been effective in treating some disorders; however, many of their therapeutic dimensions remain doubtful, and their use is poorly established.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determining Undeclared Synthetic Pharmaceuticals as Adulterants in Weight Loss Herbal Medicines

Salahshour

Sadeghi

Nazari

et al. 2020

Int J Med Toxicol Forensic Med

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Background: The popularity and use of herbal medicines and supplements are growing worldwide. Herbal anti-obesity products have been considered as suitable alternatives to synthetic pharmaceuticals as they are introduced as harmless natural products. However, some manufacturers often add undeclared synthetic pharmaceuticals to the anti-obesity herbal medicine products to improve their efficacy and potency. The present study aimed to analyze herbal weight loss products collected from the drug market in Bojnurd City, Iran.Methods: Ninety-six herbal drug samples, as weight loss products, were obtained from herb shops and pharmacies in Bojnurd City, Iran. All samples were analyzed to detect undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detector (HPLC-DAD) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques.Results: Caffeine, trimethoxyamphetamine, and vitamin E were identified in herbal weight loss products. Caffeine was detected in 21.8% of the obtained samples, as the most common undeclared active pharmaceutical adulterant. Conclusion: Undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients in herbal weight loss products could threaten patients’ health. Thus, it is necessary to create awareness through health authorities in this regard.

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“…The rising rates of obesity in the world, the limited success of lifestyle changes, and pharmacotherapy—associated to the lack of compliance of the pharmacological treatment—drive many people towards the use of products invariably defined as nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, or herbal medicinal products (Andrew & Izzo, ; Farrington, Musgrave, & Byard, ; Ríos‐Hoyo & Gutiérrez‐Salmeán, ). The popularity of such treatments for weight management has increased in the last years, and a wide variety of these products are available over the counter (Ríos‐Hoyo & Gutiérrez‐Salmeán, ).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…The popularity of such treatments for weight management has increased in the last years, and a wide variety of these products are available over the counter (Ríos‐Hoyo & Gutiérrez‐Salmeán, ). There is no clear clinical evidence that herbal products mostly promoted for weight loss, including Citrus aurantium , Garcinia cambogia , Camellia sinensis , Hoodia gordonii , and Coleus forskohlii preparations, can cause sustained long‐term weight loss (Farrington et al, ). Furthermore, serious adverse events and even death have been associated to their use (Farrington et al, ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is no clear clinical evidence that herbal products mostly promoted for weight loss, including Citrus aurantium , Garcinia cambogia , Camellia sinensis , Hoodia gordonii , and Coleus forskohlii preparations, can cause sustained long‐term weight loss (Farrington et al, ). Furthermore, serious adverse events and even death have been associated to their use (Farrington et al, ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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