Research a Dietary Supplement Assignment:
Dietary Supplements and Drugs Used For Weight Loss
PLEASE ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS ON A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER. THIS WORK WILL BE COLLECTED AND GRADED.
Your assignment today is to research a popular weight loss supplement. In groups of two, you will do the following:
1. Review the article: How diet pills work on the www.howstuffworks.com website. To get here, click on the first link entitled "How Diet Pills Work" under the "Links to Websites and Information" in my blog.
Read the article, including the next page, and answer the following questions:
A. List some of the common ingredients found in diet pills today.
B. What happens after long-term use of diet pills?
C. List the side effects of the following:
1. Fat blockers:
2. Appetite Suppressants:
3. Herbal Diet Pills:
2. Next, review the list of dietary supplements for weight loss below. Some of these supplements claim to be fat blockers, others are appetite suppressants and others are stimulants. Keep in mind that most of these supplements have not been tested on humans, and their claims are only alleged. Since they are considered “foods,” they are not regulated by the FDA. Their manufacturers can market them in any way they see fit. You will choose TWO supplements to research.
Chromium
Ephedra
Chitosan
Conjugated Linoeic Acid
Glucomannan
Green Tea
Hydroxycitric Acid
Psyllium
Pyruvate
St. John’s Wort
Hoodia
Use any of the following three websites ONLY for your research:
www.pdrhealth.com
www.webmd.com/diet/guide/herbal-remedies
http://ods.od.nih.gov/ (go to dietary supplements background info.)
Answer the following questions below for each supplement:
A. What does this supplement claim to do?
B. What are the common side effects?
C. Does this supplement interfere with any other drugs?
D. Is this supplement PROVEN effective? How so?
3. Next, review the list of FDA approved drugs for weight loss below. Choose ONE to research.
Meridia
Xenical/Alli
Adipex-P
Tenuate
Use www.rxlist.com or www.pdrhealth.com to answer the following questions:
A. What does this drug do?
B. What are the common health risks and side effects?
C. How effective is the drug?
D. Are there any food or drug interactions?
4. Next, research a popular weight loss product and answer the questions that follow. Use any website you find for your information.
Dexatrim
Hydroxycut
TrimSpa
Xenadrine
Apidexin
Fenphedra
A. How does this weight loss pill claim to work?
B. What are the active ingredients in the pill?
*Can you find the side effects of these ingredients from this website?
C. What scientific research has been offered to support these claims? Note: "Clinical Studies" do not count as scientific evidence.
D. What are the health risks and side effects of taking this pill (according to the website)?
Now that you have done extensive research on dietary supplements, answer the last two questions:
5. What have you learned about the safety and/or effectiveness of fad diets and diet pills?
6. What information will you share with others?