Risky slimming medicines Diet pills barely help you lose weight

Deaths have become known: slimming products can endanger the health
Anyone who has decided to get rid of the festooned kilos of the holidays in the new year should not rely on slimming products. Most diet pills can not keep their miracle promise and some even pose a deadly health risk.

After the lush holidays reduce the weight
If you want to get rid of winter bacon faster after the lavish holidays, you should not necessarily rely on slimming products. These often promise true miracles, but usually only help a little. In the worst case, they can even have fatal consequences. The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) refers to this in a recent communication. Especially means that are offered on the Internet, can therefore severely damage the health.

Slimming products often promise miracles, but usually only help a little. In addition, some of these diet pills or powders contain harmful substances. There were even deaths. (Image: BillionPhotos.com/fotolia.com)

Dietary supplements must not have a medicinal effect
Slimming products are often found in the form typical of the drug as tablets, capsules or in powder form under the name of dietary supplements (NEM) on the market.

As the experts explain, NEM - unlike medicines - are only intended to add vitamins, minerals and other substances to the body to supplement the normal diet.

Dietary supplements should therefore have no medicinal effect - and therefore no weight loss without reduced calorie intake.

In addition, dietary supplements go through no regulatory approval process in which the health safety must be demonstrated in advance. The manufacturer or importer responsible for the safety of his products must display his dietary supplement with the BVL before placing it on the market.

Illegal substances added
According to the Federal Office, some wheelers try to make their slimming products effective by adding illegal substances to them.

Such products are mainly distributed on the Internet and are often offered as "100% natural" or "purely herbal" supplements.

However, they contain undeclared pharmacologically active substances in high doses.

Deaths from slimming products
Commonly used hazardous ingredients include sibutramine, a substance that has been used as an appetite suppressant to reduce heavy obesity in medicines.

Although it was banned in the EU in 2010 because of its massive side effects as a drug in the EU, foods containing sibutramine are found again and again. In some cases, the sibutramine levels were well above the therapeutically used dosages. There were even deaths.

According to the BVL, the products were food supplements or infusions that were offered as slimming tea or weight loss coffee.

Industrial Chemical in Diet Pills
In addition, products from the Internet often contain chemical-synthetic illegal admixtures such as 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), an industrial chemical used in the synthesis of dyes, wood preservatives, insecticides and explosives.

Taking DNP at low dose over a long period of time may result in damage to the liver, kidney, blood, cardiovascular, and nervous systems. In several countries, there have been several deaths in recent years due to the consumption of products containing unauthorized added DNP.

For example, in England, where a young woman is internally banished after taking tablets of dinitrophenol, British media reported.

Ventricular fibrillation and myocardial infarction
The BVL also points out that some dietary supplements that are declared as "purely herbal" contain harmful natural ingredients such as synephrine, which are said to increase energy consumption, reduce food intake and increase stomach function.

Synephrine is found in small amounts in many citrus fruits, in slimming products it is usually offered in high amounts in combination with caffeine, the substance is often hidden behind the name bitter orange extract and caffeine behind the name of plant extracts such as guarana, coffee or green tea extract.

Synephrine and caffeine both act on the cardiovascular system. The use of such combination preparations can have dangerous consequences ranging from sleep disorders, hypertension and palpitations to ventricular fibrillation and heart attacks.

Tips for consumers
The BVL also has some tips for consumers in its communication. Since dietary supplements may not have a pharmacological effect, one should always be skeptical of fast and unrealistic promises of success.

Attention should also be paid to products sold exclusively on the Internet. Testimonials and recommendations in discussion forums and chat rooms often turn out to be disguised advertising.

Dietary supplements should not be purchased by individuals. When shopping online, the imprint of the provider can be checked for completeness.

Since foreign funds may be regarded as medicinal products in Germany, there is the possibility that the import is prohibited, the goods are seized by customs and there is an indication.

Because just products from the Internet can contain dangerous illegal substances, you should inform yourself before buying exactly the unknown ingredients.

In case of doubt, get expert advice before ordering any products supplementing the diet, such as from the doctor or pharmacist. (Ad)