All pills are not snake oil
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You'll lose weight alright, by not having money budgeted for food because you spent too much on gimmicks. The only things that can make you lose weight from an OTC supplement standpoint is caffeine, and that is only because excessive amounts of caffeine jacks up your heart rate and causes you to burn more calories.
And instead of those 100-200 dollar caffeine pills with lord knows what else is in them you could use that extra money to purchase and eat fibrous vegetables to be in a calorie deficit without feeling like you're starving. If you feel that you need to spend xyz to help motivate you in keeping track of your calories, that's on you. You could just drink sugarfree redbull and take a nodoz for that.
Why not just spend the money on a nice food scale, or a pedometer, or exercise dvds, things that are proven to help.
IMHO all weight loss supplements are snake oil, the reason this echoes so loudly is because we were all young and naive once and probably tried the junk. Its a mistake you are just better off avoiding altogether. Not to mention the news stories where people had to be hospitalized from these.
" A smart man makes a mistake, learns from it, and never makes that mistake again. But a wise man finds a smart man and learns from him how to avoid the mistake altogether."
--Roy H. Williams
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And we learned that @slideaway1 crawls on his belly like a reptile (bonus points if you know the Ray Stevens lyrics). Photo of actual snake oil salesman below included to facilitate easy recognition.
This is the first time I've ever wanted to hug a snake.0 -
crazyjerseygirl wrote: »On the topic of placebos
You can be aware that something is inert and it still frackin works!
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/dec/22/placebo-effect-patients-sham-drug
So don't waste your money of expensive and ultimately pointless diet pills. Go buy yourself a bottle of vitamin C tabs, write "weight loss" on the side and go at it!
Yes! This was a good one!
Make sure to spend a lot of money on it to convince yourself harder. (Interesting side bit about the spending more money bit: It plays into why it's so hard to admit a program sucks or an expensive purchase was disappointing after spending lots of time and/or money because it's difficult to admit to yourself that you've wasted it. So, instead, the justification machine gets going and suddenly it is not a waste of anything and is awesome!)
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Liftng4Lis wrote:You forgot kegels!
I'm probably going to regret asking this, but...senecar wrote:I'm still going to advocate barbell resistance training over static contraction for all muscles
how do you apply "barbell resistance training" to the muscles targeted by kegel exercises?
Feel free to reply by PM if the result is not PG-rated, so this thread doesn't get locked.
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Aside from the tu quoque, this actually shows that regulation works.kshama wrote:What about the bad things that happen from the regulated products like Phen/Fen?
The dangerous part was taken off the market, and phentermine is still legal, still used.
Thalidomide is another example.
The original mixture caused horrid birth defects, flippers instead of arms/legs.
Once they figured out which directional molecule caused the problem*, and eliminated it from the medicine, it was put back on the market and works just as it should, without the fetal defects.
*(Often, molecules can be made / found in mirror images, or right & left-handed forms. Usually only one is bioactive. For thalidomide, both were. The bad one was removed, the good one still controls nausea.)
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Returning to the actual topic which is supposed to be under discussion...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24695007
Expectancy, Self-Efficacy, and Placebo Effect of a Sham Supplement for Weight Loss in Obese Adults.
Journal of Evidence Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine
2014 Apr 1;19(3):181-188. [Epub ahead of print]
Tippens, Purnell, Gregory, Connelly, Hanes, Oken, Calabrese.
Abstract
This study examined the role of expectancy in the placebo effect of a sham dietary supplement for weight loss in 114 obese adults with metabolic syndrome.
All participants received lifestyle education and were randomized to 1 of 3 conditions:
(1) a daily placebo capsule and told that they were taking an active weight loss supplement,
(2) daily placebo and told they had a 50% random chance of receiving either the active or placebo, or
(3) no capsules.
At 12 weeks, weight loss and metabolic outcomes were similar among the 3 groups.
Participants in both groups that took capsules showed decreased weight loss self-efficacy and increased expectations of benefit from dietary supplements.
Participants not taking capsules showed the opposite.
Adverse events were more frequently reported in groups taking capsules than those who were not.
These findings suggest that supplements without weight loss effects may have nocebo effects through diminished self-efficacy.
PMID: 24695007
PMCID: PMC4182347 [Available on 2015-10-01]
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did OP ever come back..?
Of course not. You know these threads are purely recreational.
At least we got to hear about how unregulated supplements must be OK because we don't spend enough time criticizing big pharma (I know it doesn't make sense. Don't yell at me, I'm just the messenger).
And we learned that @slideaway1 crawls on his belly like a reptile (bonus points if you know the Ray Stevens lyrics). Photo of actual snake oil salesman below included to facilitate easy recognition.
Actually the only reason I didn't respond was because I have a job and a long commute, and my response would be too long. But I will respond more when I get home. But I was referring not just to diet pills specifically but to everything in the realm related to anything that goes in your mouth and is posted on MyFitnessPal. That includes vitamins and prescription medications. I was pointing out how a lot of people will respond and say it snake oil and there are no miracle pills without even reading the entire post or looking at the point or without knowing anything about the product That was my frustration. But I will respond more later.0 -
Kshamalama went to smoke weeds?
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Actually the only reason I didn't respond was because I have a job and a long commute, and my response would be too long. But I will respond more when I get home. But I was referring not just to diet pills specifically but to everything in the realm related to anything that goes in your mouth and is posted on MyFitnessPal. That includes vitamins and prescription medications. I was pointing out how a lot of people will respond and say it snake oil and there are no miracle pills without even reading the entire post or looking at the point or without knowing anything about the product That was my frustration. But I will respond more later.
Where did anyone say that prescriptions and vitamins are snake oil? The worst I've seen said about prescriptions (aside from the side effects) is that if you don't learn better habits while taking it, you won't have success when you eventually come off it, as they're only meant for short-term use. As for vitamins, if you aren't deficient in something, it doesn't do any good. Those things are both true.0 -
PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »Actually the only reason I didn't respond was because I have a job and a long commute, and my response would be too long. But I will respond more when I get home. But I was referring not just to diet pills specifically but to everything in the realm related to anything that goes in your mouth and is posted on MyFitnessPal. That includes vitamins and prescription medications. I was pointing out how a lot of people will respond and say it snake oil and there are no miracle pills without even reading the entire post or looking at the point or without knowing anything about the product That was my frustration. But I will respond more later.
Where did anyone say that prescriptions and vitamins are snake oil? The worst I've seen said about prescriptions (aside from the side effects) is that if you don't learn better habits while taking it, you won't have success when you eventually come off it, as they're only meant for short-term use. As for vitamins, if you aren't deficient in something, it doesn't do any good. Those things are both true.
Ugh i just said it. I've seen it plenty of times because people don't even read the topic fully they just have the same response to everything because they think anyone posting an inquiry wants to lose 50 pounds in three days.0 -
VintageFeline wrote: »OP, please show me where people have told those on prescribed medications for medical conditions to stop taking their (not at all snake oil) snake oil supplements? I've never witnessed it. Nor have I seen people told not to take vitamin and mineral supplements if they are still working on getting all they need through diet (I take some supplements myself).
What I do see is a lot of people advising others not to spend their hard earned money on things that are proven not to work to aid weight loss, whether it's a cleanse, raspeberry ketones, teatox, green tea, whatever. Just because you're still clinging onto the false hope that you don't just have to get a grip on your calorie intake doesn't make these products any less snakey or oily.
Really? Now I personally don't have a grip on my calorie intake? Ok yet another example of somebody commenting on something they know nothing about. Smh
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PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »Actually the only reason I didn't respond was because I have a job and a long commute, and my response would be too long. But I will respond more when I get home. But I was referring not just to diet pills specifically but to everything in the realm related to anything that goes in your mouth and is posted on MyFitnessPal. That includes vitamins and prescription medications. I was pointing out how a lot of people will respond and say it snake oil and there are no miracle pills without even reading the entire post or looking at the point or without knowing anything about the product That was my frustration. But I will respond more later.
Where did anyone say that prescriptions and vitamins are snake oil? The worst I've seen said about prescriptions (aside from the side effects) is that if you don't learn better habits while taking it, you won't have success when you eventually come off it, as they're only meant for short-term use. As for vitamins, if you aren't deficient in something, it doesn't do any good. Those things are both true.
Ugh i just said it. I've seen it plenty of times because people don't even read the topic fully they just have the same response to everything because they think anyone posting an inquiry wants to lose 50 pounds in three days.
Can you tell us by way of a quote where someone said that someone's medication prescribed by a doctor was snake oil? If that did happen, I'm sure the individual would have been corrected in the same thread, and there wouldn't be a need for this thread.0 -
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No, but her ticker is stuck on ZERO pounds lost.did OP ever come back..?
Anybody have some good pills to recommend?
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Pinnacle_IAO wrote: »
No, but her ticker is stuck on ZERO pounds lost.did OP ever come back..?
Anybody have some good pills to recommend?
Yes i don't log my weight everyday. Stop the presses. Smh.
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PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »Actually the only reason I didn't respond was because I have a job and a long commute, and my response would be too long. But I will respond more when I get home. But I was referring not just to diet pills specifically but to everything in the realm related to anything that goes in your mouth and is posted on MyFitnessPal. That includes vitamins and prescription medications. I was pointing out how a lot of people will respond and say it snake oil and there are no miracle pills without even reading the entire post or looking at the point or without knowing anything about the product That was my frustration. But I will respond more later.
Where did anyone say that prescriptions and vitamins are snake oil? The worst I've seen said about prescriptions (aside from the side effects) is that if you don't learn better habits while taking it, you won't have success when you eventually come off it, as they're only meant for short-term use. As for vitamins, if you aren't deficient in something, it doesn't do any good. Those things are both true.
Ugh i just said it. I've seen it plenty of times because people don't even read the topic fully they just have the same response to everything because they think anyone posting an inquiry wants to lose 50 pounds in three days.
Nope. Just because you don't like the response someone has does not mean they did not read the topic fully.
If the response is unrelated it does. Fortunately i know the difference between a researched response and a general one. Saying "there are no miracle pills" to a new poster with a laundry list of questions and statements about a product you've never tried is neither informed nor helpful.0 -
Jozzmenia have you tried any of these weight loss products, and have they made a dramatic difference to your weight loss?
Like I said, the only thing they did for me was make me poorer..0 -
PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »Actually the only reason I didn't respond was because I have a job and a long commute, and my response would be too long. But I will respond more when I get home. But I was referring not just to diet pills specifically but to everything in the realm related to anything that goes in your mouth and is posted on MyFitnessPal. That includes vitamins and prescription medications. I was pointing out how a lot of people will respond and say it snake oil and there are no miracle pills without even reading the entire post or looking at the point or without knowing anything about the product That was my frustration. But I will respond more later.
Where did anyone say that prescriptions and vitamins are snake oil? The worst I've seen said about prescriptions (aside from the side effects) is that if you don't learn better habits while taking it, you won't have success when you eventually come off it, as they're only meant for short-term use. As for vitamins, if you aren't deficient in something, it doesn't do any good. Those things are both true.
Ugh i just said it. I've seen it plenty of times because people don't even read the topic fully they just have the same response to everything because they think anyone posting an inquiry wants to lose 50 pounds in three days.
Nope. Just because you don't like the response someone has does not mean they did not read the topic fully.
If the response is unrelated it does. Fortunately i know the difference between a researched response and a general one. Saying "there are no miracle pills" to a new poster with a laundry list of questions and statements about a product you've never tried is neither informed nor helpful.
So what would be helpful? Giving them false hope about a product that doesn't work and could actually be harmful?
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PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »Actually the only reason I didn't respond was because I have a job and a long commute, and my response would be too long. But I will respond more when I get home. But I was referring not just to diet pills specifically but to everything in the realm related to anything that goes in your mouth and is posted on MyFitnessPal. That includes vitamins and prescription medications. I was pointing out how a lot of people will respond and say it snake oil and there are no miracle pills without even reading the entire post or looking at the point or without knowing anything about the product That was my frustration. But I will respond more later.
Where did anyone say that prescriptions and vitamins are snake oil? The worst I've seen said about prescriptions (aside from the side effects) is that if you don't learn better habits while taking it, you won't have success when you eventually come off it, as they're only meant for short-term use. As for vitamins, if you aren't deficient in something, it doesn't do any good. Those things are both true.
Ugh i just said it. I've seen it plenty of times because people don't even read the topic fully they just have the same response to everything because they think anyone posting an inquiry wants to lose 50 pounds in three days.
Please try not to generalize. We actually could have a respectful conversation about this.
A lot of us here end up feeling protective of people because we DO see so many posts from those wanting to lose too much weight too fast, or wanting a solution for weight loss that simply doesn't exist.
It's really hard to see people insisting that there must be a good reason to spend a lot of money they don't need to spend and take miracle pills (some of which are straight-up dangerous; most of which are demonstrably useless) or buy wraps (also known to be useless) or whatever.
One big problem is that the supplement industry in the U.S. is not regulated. I could put, say, some ginger and some beetle wings and some cinnamon and some honey into capsules right now, sell it as 'Metabolism-Boosting Tiger Energy' supplement at $20 a bottle, and make any claim I want to about it as long as I don't make specific claims about being able to prevent or cure medical conditions. Wanna buy some? I have testimonials from 20 of my best friends about how well it works.
That's a problem. And pointing it out doesn't mean those doing so are being close-minded.
I could be respectful anyway. Some people resort to personal attacks... for attention i suppose. I must be morbidly obese if i have any difference of opinion. Smh.
And for those who bothered to read my initial post, i didn't say i support all pills or supplements or don't think people should provide information on them. But speaking of being general, the blanket and sarcastic statements don't help anyone. If someone said "does anyone know anything about metabolife" (old i know). I might say how i took it in college and it have massive energy to do more cardio and i lost about 15 pounds but one day woke up in the middle of the night with my heart racing. That would be need to know info. Saying there are no miracle pills, considering the person didn't ask if there were any miracle pills, is useless and condescending. And the term miracle pill implies someone is looking for a miracle. Thus the 50 pounds a day commenr. Asking if something curbs appetite or gives energy or curbs cravings, etc. Is not a miracle.0 -
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PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »Actually the only reason I didn't respond was because I have a job and a long commute, and my response would be too long. But I will respond more when I get home. But I was referring not just to diet pills specifically but to everything in the realm related to anything that goes in your mouth and is posted on MyFitnessPal. That includes vitamins and prescription medications. I was pointing out how a lot of people will respond and say it snake oil and there are no miracle pills without even reading the entire post or looking at the point or without knowing anything about the product That was my frustration. But I will respond more later.
Where did anyone say that prescriptions and vitamins are snake oil? The worst I've seen said about prescriptions (aside from the side effects) is that if you don't learn better habits while taking it, you won't have success when you eventually come off it, as they're only meant for short-term use. As for vitamins, if you aren't deficient in something, it doesn't do any good. Those things are both true.
Ugh i just said it. I've seen it plenty of times because people don't even read the topic fully they just have the same response to everything because they think anyone posting an inquiry wants to lose 50 pounds in three days.
Nope. Just because you don't like the response someone has does not mean they did not read the topic fully.
If the response is unrelated it does. Fortunately i know the difference between a researched response and a general one. Saying "there are no miracle pills" to a new poster with a laundry list of questions and statements about a product you've never tried is neither informed nor helpful.
So what would be helpful? Giving them false hope about a product that doesn't work and could actually be harmful?
I tend to send them link to the NIH showing that they are bullpoop.
https://nccih.nih.gov/health/weightloss
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UltimateRBF wrote: »I can't really say I've ever seen you in the forums offering advice to people that need it. But you've got no problem judging those who do give advice. Be the change you wish to see.
no one's name stands out to me either that doesn't mean they haven't posted. smh. yeah i know everything is personal if I don't agree with you. I'm sure it's easy enough to see that I've posted. only it's often about actual personal experience with things not just what I've heard. though I realize it's okay to use google to find negatives not positives. smh
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OP your head is going to fall off soon if you keep shaking it. Relax and don't take the interwebz so personally.0
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Sometimes the pills work, but they're always yanked off the market because they're dangerous.
You never know, when you take these things, what they're going to do to you. Personally, I'm against swallowing pills and powders without knowing what the heck is in them! I think people who do it are being foolish.
Furthermore, I think it's really important to learn to eat without relying on crutches. I think that's the best way to go about it, but I admit that it's just a personal opinion.
If you want to swallow the stuff, I'll support your decision and wish you well. Good luck.0
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