FTC comments about
weight loss advertisements including 7-keto-DHEA (PatentLean):
Although some advertisements briefly
describe the results, and provide some information about the
methodology, of a particular study, such as the study’s duration and
number of participating subjects, most of the advertisements fail to
give consumers sufficient detail about a study to allow consumers to
verify the advertiser’s representations. Moreover, 20 of the 117 ads
making “clinically proven” claims were for products that contained
ingredients already evaluated by the Federal Trade Commission in the
context of past law enforcement actions challenging specific weight
loss claims. These ingredients, which include fucus vesiculosus,
chromium, L-carnitine, chitosan, psyllium, 7-keto-DHEA,
hydroxycitric acid, seaweed, konjac root, garcinia cambogia and
glucomannan, were challenged based on insufficient scientific evidence
to support the weight loss claims made in the advertisements.
NCAHF News - May/June 2002
PHARMACISTS WARNED ABOUT "WEIGHT LOSS" PRODUCTS
The April 2002 issue of Pharmacist's Letter told pharmacists to advise
patients to avoid products containing the following "natural weight
loss" ingredients, especially if they are combined with caffeine,
guarana, cola nut, mate, or tea: conjugated linoleic acid (in Body
Solutions, Diene-O-Lean, Tonalin), 7-keto DHEA (in PatentLEAN, 7-Keto
Fuel, 7 Keto Lean)-because little is know about its long-term safety,
hydroxycitrate (in Citrimaax, CitriLean, Diet Fuel, Herbalife),
ephedra (recalled in Canada), and bitter orange or country mallow
(heartleaf) which contains ephedrine-related compounds. Pharmacist's
Letter did not mention that pharmacists can help patients avoid
products of unproven safety or effectiveness for weight loss by not
selling them.
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