--- description: Supplements for weight loss are heavy on claims and light on scientific proof title: Dieters, Beware image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Health](/section/health/) ## Health Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Dieters, Beware  by [Alice Park](/author/alice-park/)  ## Alice Park Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Senior Correspondent Jun 26, 2014 9:53 AM CUT  by [Alice Park](/author/alice-park/)  ## Alice Park Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Senior Correspondent Jun 26, 2014 9:53 AM CUT If there existed a safe, effective and rigorously tested weight-loss pill that could help slim you down without dangerous side effects, you’d be best off hearing about it from your doctor. But for now, most weight-loss supplements are not evaluated for safety by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and their too-good-to-be-true promises come from marketers, whose claims are facing scrutiny by the Federal Trade Commission. Diet-supplement claims were also at the center of a recent U.S. Senate hearing, where lawmakers questioned Dr. Mehmet Oz for having called some diet pills a “miracle” and “magic weight-loss cure” despite a lack of validated scientific evidence. And while prescription weight-loss drugs like Belviq and Qsymia are regulated by the FDA, supplements are not. A bill introduced in 2013 requiring companies to register their products with the FDA and improve labeling to include safety risks and efficacy is now before a Senate committee. In the meantime, here is what science says–or doesn’t say–about what’s out there. The Universe of Diet Supplements \[The following text appears within a diagram. Please see your hard copy for actual diagram.\] GAMMA LINOLEIC ACID DNP FAT BURNERS CLAIM: They will “melt away” fat and help build muscle SCIENCE: Not much. There’s insufficient evidence that they can contribute to weight loss RISKS: Some are banned by the FDA (though they remain available online) over risks of organ failure AÇAI BERRY WHEY HOODIA. BITTER ORANGE. APPETITE SUPPRESSANTS CLAIM: The pills and powders can make you feel full, causing you to eat less SCIENCE: There are few human studies confirming their effectiveness RISKS: Since they haven’t been well studied, side effects are wholly unknown GUAR GUM HYDROXYCITRATE FAT BLOCKERS CLAIM: You won’t absorb as much dietary fat from your food SCIENCE: There isn’t strong evidence that these work without a lower-calorie diet RISKS: Some cause diarrhea and inhibit vitamin absorption, while others, made from shellfish, may trigger allergic reactions CHITOSAN LEPTIN METABOLISM BOOSTERS CLAIM: They help you burn more fat and calories SCIENCE: Stimulants may help cells use more energy, but they can come with serious adverse effects RISKS: Some stimulants speed heart rate and blood pressure, and heart attacks have been reported BETA GLUCAN. GREEN COFFEE. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/2926421/dieters-beware/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/2926421/dieters-beware/"},"headline":"Dieters, Beware","datePublished":"2014-06-26T09:53:52.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T08:38:27.354Z","description":"Supplements for weight loss are heavy on claims and light on scientific proof","url":"https://time.com/2926421/dieters-beware/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alice Park","jobTitle":"Senior Correspondent","url":"https://time.com/author/alice-park/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/2926421/dieters-beware/","name":"Dieters, Beware"}}]}] ```