orlistat and hydroxycitric-acid

As two-thirds of the US population is overweight or obese, new strategies are needed to help individuals safely and effectively lose weight. One option is to use dietary supplements, but not all supplements that are touted for weight loss have published clinical support for efficacy. The purpose of this article was to identify all published articles on dietary supplements for weight loss. Effectiveness of these supplements was defined as promoting 1-2 lb of weight loss each week. Although several dozen different dietary supplements are sold, only 14 published studies were identified. Four individual ingredients and three blends of ingredients were considered to be effective. Additionally, we compared weight loss from these dietary supplements to over-the-counter (OTC) orlistat (alli™, GlaxoSmithKline, Brentford, UK). Five single ingredients and three blends of ingredients produced more weight loss than OTC orlistat. Persons who use dietary supplements for weight management, counsel patients on how to lose weight, and retailers who sell dietary supplements, should become familiar with those supplements only that are effective at producing weight loss to assure the best results.

Topics: Citrates; Dietary Supplements; Humans; Lactones; Micronutrients; Obesity; Orlistat; Phytotherapy; Picolinic Acids; Plant Extracts; Weight Loss

The prevalence in obesity has increased dramatically over the past 30 years, more than double in the United States alone. Obesity is associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hypertension, biliary disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and certain types of cancer. The pathophysiology of obesity is complex, involving behavioral, environmental, and genetic factors. Current treatment options include behavior modification and lifestyle changes which incorporate weight-reducing diets and physical activity, FDA approved long-term anti-obesity pharmacological agents sibutramine and orlistat, non-FDA approved over-the-counter (OTC) supplements and nutriceuticals, and, when appropriate, bariatric surgery. Without adequate prevention and treatment of obesity, government agencies have suggested that the direct and indirect costs associated with obesity may overwhelm the healthcare system. This brief review explores the current data available on treatments for the obese patient including the relative merits of different types of macronutrient composition (e.g., low carbohydrate vs. high carbohydrate diets) of weight-reducing diets, the value of resistance/ strength training in physical activity programs designed for the obese patient, the safety and efficacy associated with OTC supplements and nutriceuticals for weight reduction (e.g., Ephedra, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), Garcinia cambogia/ hydroxycitric acid (HCA), chromium, pyruvate), the safety and efficacy of FDA-approved long-term obesity treatments sibutramine and orlistat, and bariatric surgery.

Topics: Anti-Obesity Agents; Bariatrics; Chromium; Citrates; Cyclobutanes; Energy Intake; Ephedrine; Exercise Therapy; Garcinia cambogia; Herbal Medicine; Humans; Lactones; Linoleic Acids, Conjugated; Obesity; Orlistat; Phytotherapy; Pyruvic Acid

Topics: Amylases; Androgens; Anti-Obesity Agents; Citrates; Cyclobutanes; Dietary Fats; Fat Substitutes; Fatty Acids; Glucagon; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; Glucosidases; Human Growth Hormone; Humans; Intestinal Absorption; Lactones; Lipase; Obesity; Orlistat; Peptide Fragments; Protein Precursors; Sucrose