The Dirty World of Weight Loss Drugs

Diet supplements promising energy, weight loss, and better performance have been a pet peeve of mine for many years. My wife would say, just one of my many P.P.s; if that's the case this would be in the top TEN. Not only do these products promise things they can't deliver, they are unsafe and in some cases associated with deaths. It has been reported that 20% of females in the US have tried one or more of these products, according to the National Institute of Health. 

This billion dollar industry operates in the shadows of the FDA, with poor regulations and even poorer enforcement. There are many reports of banned substances being marketed with only a name change, and without any change in the actual chemical structure. Dusting, even more dangerous, consists of mixing in variable amounts of pharmaceutical drugs and chemicals without reporting it on the label. Dusting has been tied to multiple deaths across the country, yet it continues today.

DMAA is one of the ingredients used today in multiple dietary supplements. DMAA was originally developed by Eli Lilly and marketed as a nasal decongestant from 1944 until it was withdrawn from the market in 1983. Since 2006 DMAA, or methylhexanamine, has been represented  as a stimulant, energy booster, and weight loss supplement, and is found in many weight loss products. In 2013, DMAA was implicated in 5 deaths, the FDA determined it to be dangerous and not a legal dietary supplement - illegal to market.

A quick review of the internet reveals that DMAA is still available as of late 2015 and not just one or two supplements by one or two manufacturers. A five minute search revealed more than 30 different products containing DMAA, also labeled as geranium oil or extract. There appears to be a looming court case involving DMAA but manufacturers  continue to modify their formulas and stay one step ahead of the Feds, in an effort to grab some of the billions of dollars on the table, with little or no regard for your health.

I would suggest that you stay far away from supplements that claim fantastic results, quickly, with little or no effort. Instead try a low glycemic diet, exercise including HIIT, and a good night's sleep. 

Buyer beware.