Weight Loss Supplements: Myth Busted in Recent Study!

Weight loss supplements have always been very popular among people who wonder how to lose weight quickly. Considering its demand, several types of weight loss pills and supplements have been introduced in the market. The list includes metabolism boosters, fat burners, appetite suppressants and fat blockers. Irrespective of how tempting the probable results of these pills may appear to be, the fact is that there is very little evidence to support their miraculous claims.

People who wish to choose these kinds of supplements instead of following a healthy diet for weigh loss need to be aware that it can lead to granting oneself a psychological/moral license for self-indulgence. This is best explained by the psychological theory of moral licensing. According to this theory, a perceived positive health behaviour can cause the concerned person to grant himself the freedom to follow a less healthy diet. An example of this could be the case of a gym-goer who allows himself to indulge in unhealthy snacks as a reward or moral license for going to the gym.

Such kind of behavior is also witnessed among individuals opting for various weight loss supplements and pills. People who choose such pills and make compromises with a good diet for weight loss fail to realize that it won’t serve any long term benefits. This is because a placebo effect causing initial weight loss is the maximum benefit that any individual can hope and gain from weight-loss supplements.

In order to confirm this, a research test involving a group of healthy adults was conducted. The purpose of this research was to establish if a person who opts for weight loss pills instead of trying a healthy diet for weight loss would be inclined to a carefree attitude in the other aspects of their diet.

The initial stage: The adults were segregated into two groups. The first group was given a weight loss supplement and the second group was given a placebo pill. In reality, both the groups were actually given a placebo pill, but were not aware of this fact.

Second stage: Each of them were handed a questionnaire in which they had to rate the level of progress they were making towards achieving their weight loss goals. On the completion of this task, both the groups were offered a reward drink with the option to choose the quantity of sugar they wanted in it.

The last stage: The final stage of the research saw both the groups participating in a taste test. Here, both the adults were given the freedom to taste and consume as many as confectioneries as they wanted.

The result: It was observed that unlike the second group (placebo pill), people who believed they were consuming a weight loss supplement requested for almost double the amount of sugar in their reward drink. The same group also consumed almost 29% more confectioneries in the taste test. In addition, this group was more likely to state that they were making good progress in their journey towards weight loss.
This entire study was published in Appetite, the journal.

Conclusion: 
People who often find they wondering how to lose weight are also more susceptible to the use of weight loss pills. However, this may not be effective in the long term and opting for a healthy diet for weight loss is a far better and rewarding option. Consumption of weight loss supplements can make one believe that a “good act” has been performed. This can lead to self-indulgence as a way of rewarding the good behaviour/act. Therefore, the right kind of diet and lifestyle changes must be made for ensuring a healthy weight loss program.

For a further read on how to lose weight naturally, in easy steps, without having to consume any supplements, refer this Health Total blog: Losing Weight Made Easy.

To Sum it all up:
Weight loss pills may not have any long term benefits and may cause unexpected repercussions. In order to lose weight quickly it is important to know how to do it in the right way.