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By Dónal P. O'Mathùna, PhD , Senior Lecturer in Ethics, Decision-Making & Evidence, School of Nursing, Dublin City University, Ireland. Dr. O'Mathùna reports no financial relationship to this field of study.
Obesity continues to raise concerns, in spite of greater public awareness of its associated problems and challenges. Many who seek to lose weight use herbal remedies and dietary supplements as one of their strategies. A 2008 U.S. survey found that one-third of adults making a serious attempt to lose weight had used a weight loss dietary supplement. 1 In addition, half of those surveyed believed that dietary supplements were evaluated for safety and efficacy before being marketed, which is not always the case. Many herbal weight loss products have limited evidence of effectiveness. Adverse effects could become widespread if an unsafe herb is promoted, which happened before ephedra was banned. 2
Given the links between body weight and health, health care practitioners will be asked about ways to help people lose weight. Since many patients already are using herbal remedies, they may have questions about the products' use or effects. Practitioners should therefore be aware of the available evidence for the most popular weight loss supplements. Given the large number of such products available, this article will focus on herbal remedies -- those prepared from plant material. Discussion also will be limited to products containing one herb, rather than combinations of herbs. The herbs are introduced alphabetically.
Acai
Acai berries come from a South American palm tree, Euterpe oleracea . The fruit has been an important source of protein for people living in the Amazon jungle. Because it leaves people feeling full, it developed a reputation as an appetite suppressant. After being mentioned (but not endorsed) on the Oprah Winfrey show in 2008, it was promoted widely as a weight loss supplement. 3 According to the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, demand for the berries led to their wholesale price in Brazil increasing 60-fold in recent years. 4 Soon the people in the Amazon could not afford the berries.
Acai berries and juice are nutritious, containing vitamins A, C, and E, along with calcium, iron, and several fatty acids. 5 The juice and fruit pulp are relatively high in protein and fat, which may...