How do dietary supplements claim to work?
Assignment: PLEASE ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS ON A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER. THIS WORK WILL BE COLLECTED AND GRADED.
1. Read the information on Fad Diets in the previous post. List 5 things individuals can do in order to lose weight permenantly instead of going on a "fad" diet.
2. Research a Dietary Supplement
Read the article: How diet pills work on the www.howstuffworks.com website. To get here, click on the link entitled "How Diet Pills Work" under the "Links to Websites and Information" in my blog.
Read the entire article and write down 5 facts about the "safety" and "effectiveness" of diet pills today.
3. 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. Choose ONE supplement to research and answer the questions below.
Chromium
Ephedra
Chitosan
Conjugated Linoeic Acid
Glucomannan
Green Tea
Psyllium
Pyruvate
St. John’s Wort
Hoodia
Choose one of the following websites to find the following information:
www.pdrhealth.com
www.webmd.com/diet/guide/herbal-remedies
http://ods.od.nih.gov/ (go to dietary supplements background info.)
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?
Now that you have done some basic research on fad diets and dietary supplements, answer the last two questions:
4. What have you learned about the safety and/or effectiveness of fad diets and diet pills?
5. What information will you share with others?
BONUS for EXTRA CREDIT: 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)?