Today's news about Hydroxycut is no surprise. This is not new to us. Quick Weight Loss Pills are nothing new to us, yet we keep buying them. We keep supporting companies that sell unhealthy supplements. We keep hoping that this one will work, and that there is a magic bullet.
Remember Metabolife (Metabocrack, as we called it)? This magic pill of the 90's and early 00's sent women packing to the little kiosk in the mall, and did not think twice when they did not sleep for days, felt pressure in their chests, or yelled and screamed at their families and loved ones. All in the name of weight loss, right? Ephedra, the main ingredient in this and many other similar weight loss plans, was banned by the FDA in 2004. Complaints included heart palpitations, tremors, and seizures (www.fda.gov)
And what about Fen-Phen? That was the miracle, FDA Approved drug used until 2007, supposedly for brief periods of time to aid in the start of weight loss. With cases of Cardiac Vulvular Dysfunction (a dysfunctioning heart valve) in patients, this was finally banned.
This does not surprise us, nor should the next diet pill issue. The fact is that the body is not designed to lose a lot of weight in a short period of time. It takes 3500 calories to make that pound of fat, and it takes 3500 calories spent to get rid of it. Any other claim is just simply unfounded. Any other weight loss is water weight or even precious muscle and bone tissue. How long will we accept these false practices in our society, and how long does the FDA feel they need before taking them off the market? Just long enough so that someone has to have severe health limitations. The FDA is not designed to protect society from these companies. It is designed to protect these companies until proven otherwise. It is our job as the citizens to make the decisions with our minds and our wallets.
Trust me, the money is better spent on healthy food, a gym membership, a nutritionist, or your local trainer.
Carrie Harper