Rapid Weight Loss
Lose 10 Pounds in 10 Days!
Eat as Much as You Want -- and Still Lose Weight!
Women Over 50: Your Personal Checklist
For women, turning 50 is a milestone. Society tells you it's a crossroads. Your body underscores the point. Every woman over 50 feels it. "The kids are going to college, parents are aging. There may be marriage problems, job challenges. It's definitely a stressful time," says Jennifer Zreloff, MD, an internist with the executive health program at Emory University School of Medicine. "You also find that you can't abuse your body as much as when you were younger. Your body just isn't as resilient...
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Drop One Dress Size a Day!
Rapid weight loss can be quick and easy -- if you believe the advertising claims.
Fad diets and weight loss supplements promise a slimmer body in no time. And Americans want to believe those claims, spending $33 billion every year on weight loss products.
Do any of these products really produce rapid weight loss? Are they safe? And what are the risks of such fast weight loss? WebMD took a look at some rapid weight loss claims, as well as the available evidence.
Rapid Weight Loss: What Is It?
So many marketers promise "fast weight loss" it's difficult to sort through them all.
Most rapid weight loss pitches fall into these categories:
Starvation Diets
Beyonce popularized the so-called "master cleanse" diet: water, lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. Variations of these diets have been around since at least the 1950s. They often also promise "detoxification" through colonics or enemas.
Diet Pills and Supplements
Dozens of diet supplements promise to speed weight loss. Generally, they claim either to block absorption of nutrients, increase metabolism, or burn fat.
Very Low-Calorie Diets (VLCDs)
One proven method of rapid weight loss is the medically supervised very low-calorie diet (VLCD). Most of what is known about rapid weight loss comes from studies of people on these diets.
Creams, Devices, and Magic Voodoo Spells
There seems to be no end to the dubious ideas promoted in the name of rapid weight loss. Most promise to replace diet or exercise.
Does Rapid Weight Loss Work?
The FDA does not regulate over-the-counter weight loss products. Marketers make their claims freely, usually with no research or proof that their products work.
Aside from the very low-calorie diet, no other product, pill, or diet has been proven to work for fast weight loss. The FDA-approved medicine Xenical can help, but it works slowly and only with diet and exercise.
The FDA has announced that it is reviewing adverse event reports of liver injury in patients taking Xenical and the over-the-counter drug Alli.
In any rapid weight loss program, what really burns fat is not a pill or type of food. It's the drastic reduction of calories, combined with exercise.
What Are the Risks of Rapid Weight Loss?
Rapid weight loss creates physical demands on the body. Possible serious risks include:
- Gallstones, which occur in 12% to 25% of people losing large amounts of weight over several months.
- Dehydration, which can be avoided by drinking plenty of fluids.
- Malnutrition, usually from not eating enough protein for weeks at a time.
- Electrolyte imbalances, which rarely can be life threatening.
Other side effects of rapid weight loss include:
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Constipation
- Menstrual irregularities
- Hair loss
- Muscle loss
The dangers of rapid weight loss increase with the time spent on the diet. Eating a no-protein diet is particularly risky.
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