Weight loss is a major priority in modern life; regardless of age or gender, many aspire to achieve an ideal physique. Consequently, the market is flooded with diverse weight loss methods, including low-carb diets, ketogenic diets, intermittent fasting, and meal replacements. The variety of weight loss supplements is even more overwhelming, ranging from meal replacements to fat-burning capsules, often promoted with dazzling marketing tactics that can leave consumers confused.
Are these products truly effective? Or is adhering to healthy lifestyle habits the real key? Before answering these questions, it is helpful to understand the different types of weight loss products currently on the market.
Principle: Replacing regular meals with low-calorie options to reduce total energy intake and control weight.
Common Types: Meal replacement powders, energy bars, shakes, and biscuits.
Main Functions:
Providing satiety (fullness) and reducing calorie intake.
Acting as a substitute for meals or snacks.
Convenient to carry and consume.
Precautions & Side Effects:
They often contain incomplete nutrition, particularly lacking in protein and micronutrients.
Long-term consumption may lead to malnutrition; weight often rebounds once a normal diet is resumed.
Some energy bars are high in sugar, shakes may contain sweeteners, and meal replacement biscuits may be high in sugar or oil.
Principle: Promoting the breakdown of fat, increasing energy expenditure, boosting metabolism, and assisting fat metabolism.
Main Ingredients: Caffeine, green tea extract, capsaicin, green coffee bean extract, L-carnitine, etc.
Main Functions:
Increasing metabolic rate and alertness.
Promoting fat oxidation and thermogenesis (heat production).
Inhibiting fat absorption and regulating glucose metabolism to assist fat loss.
Precautions & Potential Side Effects:
Caffeine can lead to insomnia and heart palpitations.
Green tea extract may cause stomach discomfort if consumed on an empty stomach.
Capsaicin may irritate the stomach or cause burning sensations; green coffee bean extract may affect blood sugar control.
High doses of L-carnitine can cause mild nausea.
Principle: Increasing satiety, suppressing appetite, stabilizing blood sugar, reducing binge eating, and adjusting emotional eating.
Common Ingredients: Konjac fiber, dietary fiber, Garcinia Cambogia, apple cider vinegar, polysaccharides, caffeine, etc.
Main Functions:
Delaying gastric emptying (prolonging the feeling of fullness).
Affecting neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine to signal to the brain that one is not hungry.
Reducing hunger by stabilizing blood sugar levels.
Precautions & Potential Side Effects:
Relying solely on the product often leads to rapid weight rebound once usage stops or if not paired with lifestyle changes.
Products containing caffeine may cause palpitations, insomnia, or anxiety.
Long-term dependence may weaken the body’s natural ability to regulate hunger and fullness.
Principle: Cleaning the intestines, improving metabolism, and promoting bowel movements to achieve a "slimming" or "light" effect.
Main Ingredients: Senna leaf, psyllium husk, konjac fiber, corn silk, dandelion, caffeine, green tea extract, milk thistle, turmeric, chlorella, lactic acid bacteria, oligosaccharides, etc.
Main Functions:
Cleansing the bowels and promoting defecation.
Eliminating excess water (diuretic effect) to reduce weight gain caused by edema.
Supporting the liver in breaking down metabolic waste and fats.
Precautions & Potential Side Effects:
Healthy livers and kidneys naturally detoxify the body; extra supplementation may not be necessary or effective.
Consumers often mistake temporary weight loss (water/waste) for fat loss.
Long-term use of laxative-type products can lead to electrolyte imbalances, impaired natural bowel motility, and dehydration. Excessive loss of fluids makes it difficult for the body to absorb vitamins and minerals.
From a scientific perspective, one must remain cautious when choosing so-called slimming or fat-reduction products. Do not sacrifice your long-term health for temporary results. Supplements are not medicine; their effects are limited, and results vary significantly from person to person.
Most products act only as "auxiliary" tools in the weight loss process and should not be relied upon exclusively. While some ingredients are backed by scientific research, others—such as those claiming "liver detox" or "detox teas"—lack strong scientific evidence.
Furthermore, the side effects of "effective" products cannot be ignored. Caffeine and green tea extracts can cause anxiety and heart palpitations, while the excessive or long-term use of laxatives can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.
True healthy weight management should start with diet, exercise, and mindset. First, adopt a healthy mindset and avoid rushing for "quick fixes." Combining dietary adjustments with regular exercise is the only sustainable path. Planning your diet and lifestyle under the guidance of a professional nutritionist is the best way to achieve safe, lasting weight loss without the rebound effect.
Original Article From Sinchew by Chang Mei Ciu (Co Founder Ingrelicious)
Singapore