The Unfortunate Truth about Appetite Suppressants

I have taken it upon myself to shine some light on the social media phenomenon that just completely riles me up yet fascinates me because people still get sucked into the sheer nonsense of it: "fat burning" weight loss drinks and diet pills. Quotation marks are necessary as they are not what they say they are. I do, myself, try to be as optimistic as possible but the old adage, "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is" seems to have been made for this particular farce.

Before I get into the actual truths on this magical but somehow-completely-natural drink that makes you shed copious amounts of fat in a minuscule amount of time (14-28 days to be exact!), have you ever wondered why a lot of the people trying to sell these products on their social media platforms don't include the name of the brand? Or it's strategically covered by their thumb? It might be because there's no actual scientific research that proves its effectiveness OR maybe it's not legal... It might be worth noting that no registered dietitian has ever prescribed these or recommended them.

First of all, let's address the fact that if you fill up on any amount of liquid, your appetite will be suppressed in some sort of way anyway. It's common knowledge that drinking an espresso or a regular coffee has the effect of curbing hunger for a while (NOT that you need to/should be doing this, listen to your body, but it is what it is). Plus, your standard, regular coffee offers a small increase in your metabolic rate. The fact that there exists such a thing as an actual manufactured "appetite suppressant" AT ALL is a shambles - they trigger hormonal responses that interrupt the brain's signals telling you if you're hungry or not. Do you know why your brain can send hunger signals? Simply because you need food. Furthermore, the brands that make "weight loss coffee drinks" and "skinny teas" etc have kindly included the telling disclaimer "should be used in conjunction with a reduced-calorie diet and regular exercise program" - so, in that case, water is also a great fat burner as a [healthy] calorie deficit alone results in weight loss.

Attempts made by scientists in the pharmaceutical industry to create an effective appetite suppressant have (thus far) failed due to the fact that there is no evidence that shows they can safely help with weight loss. So, if these pills and drinks aren't being made by the experts, who is making them? DIDYOUKNOW the only effective weight loss aids (not an appetite suppressant, but an AID for people who need to lose weight for medical/ severe health reasons) are not even available through prescription on the NHS, they are privately obtained, i.e through a slimming clinic.

Next on the agenda: let's discuss (just a couple) of the ingredients that are in skinny coffee/tea drinks and/or diet pills:

Raspberry Ketone (it usually says extract) - this predominant ingredient claims to be a magical little thing that breaks down fat and regulates metabolism. Pity it has only ever been trialled on MICE (yes, the rodent) and that there have been no clinical trials on humans. Ever. Yet, they are advertised as a "natural" weight loss supplement. Please.

*It is sadly worth stating that a 24 year old woman died due to overdosing on raspberry ketone pills that contained 2 and a half times the amount of caffeine as a can of red bull in one capsule.

Garcinia Cambogia - yes, it is a plant. Yes, plants are natural. Yes, it claims to boost your mood, regulate hunger, and burn fat cells. Is this scientifically proven? No. In fact, the first rigorous research conducted on this in 1998 concluded that it did not have any more of an effect than a placebo. Its side effects include dizziness and nausea. Oh, and it may also interfere with many medications, most notably antidepressants.

One of the most notorious brands is indeed the "Skinny Coffee Club" which is sadly sold for £24 a box in many stores, including Holland & Barrett. It claims to shed fat whilst simultaneously giving you clear skin and reducing wrinkles, which would be absolutely fantastic if it came with an... approved health claim, which it doesn't.

Now, all of the false claims made by these companies may seem appealing to just about anyone, but bear in mind the vulnerable people that this affects on a deeper level. The exact number is unknown, but between 1.5 - 3.4 million people in the UK suffer from an eating disorder, 10% of those from anorexia nervosa. The average age of onset for anorexia is 16-17 years old, and 18-19 for bulimia. Now imagine impressionable teenagers seeing adverts screaming "rapid weight loss" at them from all social media platforms, they already count calories and are looking for that extra something. It's extremely triggering for those who have either suffered from an eating disorder in the past, or are currently suffering from one now and the consequences of seeing such products being recommended online incessantly can be harrowing, both physically and mentally. This is not what they need, nor anyone else. The self-esteem, body confidence and all sorts of other movements that are prevalent these days mean nothing if the people selling this bullsh*t that tells us to "suppress your appetite!" continue to do so. The mental health problems induced by such nonsense are endless and the fact that they are still around when all they truly do is promote a disordered way of thinking about food and also the 'diet' mentality, is horrific.

One last thing to mention: the before and after pictures of these products. Take a closer look. The women go from curvy/already slim to toned. Does this drink also magically build muscle too?

Ultimately, EXERCISE, a HEALTHY DIET and INCREASING MUSCLE TO FAT RATIO are the only things that significantly speed up metabolism and give sustainable results. xo