Dietary supplements for weight loss are very fashionable: if we are to believe the advertisements, it would be enough to take one capsule a day to lose superfluous kilos almost instantly and regain a model silhouette.
Yes, but here it is: according to an American study recently published in the specialized journal obesityfood supplements stamped “slimming” would only have a limited effectiveness…
To lose weight, we play sports and we eat healthier
To reach this conclusion, the American researchers reviewed 315 clinical studies on food supplements frequently recommended for weight loss: calcium, vitamin D, cocoa, chromium, garcinia, green tea, caffeine or even pyruvate. They were also interested in two alternative therapies promising results on the silhouette: acupuncture and body-mind methods.
Result ? First, the researchers observed that, among 315 scientific studies, only 16 resulted in weight loss for participants taking dietary supplements to lose weight. This weight loss was between 300 grams and 5 kilos. Second, the authors found that the majority of these 16 studies required participants to adopt a “healthy” lifestyle with modification of diet and physical activity.
Conclusion ? Dietary supplements (just like “alternative” therapies) are not really effective for losing weight. To lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way, the best thing is still to adopt a balanced diet (a Mediterranean diet, for example) and to practice regular physical activity (swimming, Nordic walking, cycling, etc.). Getting help from a health professional also allows you to avoid false good ideas that are potentially dangerous to your health…
Read also :
- Slimming: how to lose thighs and buttocks
- 3 ideas to get (back) into sport in 2021
- Testimonial: I lost 72 kg
