WEDNESDAY, March 7, 2012 — If you think adding a few steaming mugs of green tea to your daily diet will help you lose weight, we have bad news. The same goes for those high-fiber crackers, appetite suppressants, and over-the-counter pills that claim to block your body’s absorption of fat. In fact, new research published online in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found, across the board, that diet supplements don’t deliver on their promises — particularly if supplements are not paired with a dose of good ole diet and exercise.
In the study, Melinda Manore, PhD, a professor of nutrition and exercise sciences at Oregon State University, reviewed the evidence surrounding hundreds of weight-loss supplements. She then divided supplements into four categories: products that block the absorption of fat or carbohydrates, metabolism-boosting stimulants, such as caffeine or ephedra, products that claim to decrease fat, and appetite suppressants, such as soluble fibers.
Manore found that many products lacked randomized clinical trials that proved their effectiveness. For the supplements that had clinical trial data, most of the products showed less than a two-pound weight loss benefit when compared to the placebo groups. Most of the studies did not include exercise as a factor for weight loss.
“What people want is to lose weight and maintain or increase lean tissue mass,” Manore said in a release. “There is no evidence that any one supplement does this. And some have side effects, ranging from the unpleasant, such as bloating and gas, to very serious issues, such as strokes and heart problems.”
When Manore analyzed the effects of a healthy diet that included green tea, fiber, and low-fat dairy, she found that, on average, participants dropped three to four pounds — when these healthy foods were paired with a restricted-calorie eating plan.
Contrary to popular belief, simply drinking green tea cannot boost weight loss. Instead, green tea can increase your body’s energy expenditure and fat oxidation, which studies have not shown produces measurable weight loss alone. Similarly, fiber can contribute to weight loss because it increases satiety. But if a high-fiber diet is not paired with plenty of leafy greens, lean protein, and exercise, weight loss is not likely to occur.
Instead of turning to supplements for a quick fix, Manore offered these guidelines for a healthy weight loss lifestyle in a release:.
  • Make a plan — and stick to it. “Spontaneous eating often results in poorer food choices,” she cautions.
  • Start your meal with salad or a broth-based soup. You will feel fuller and be less likely to overeat a calorie-dense entrée.
  • Keep moving, especially if you have a desk job. Manore says she tries to put calls on speaker phone so she can walk around while talking. During long meetings, ask if you can stand.
  • Eat vegetables at every meal possible.
  • Increase your fiber intake. When possible, eat “wet” sources of fiber rather than dry, Manore advises. For example, cooked oatmeal will make you feel fuller than a fiber cracker.
  • Eliminate processed foods. Manore says foods that are harder to digest, such as whole fruits and vegetables and high-fiber grains, can help boost your metabolism. Processed foods do not have the same effect.