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Should You Trust Dietary Supplements?

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at WVU chapter.

 

Have you ever wanted to lose five pounds, but only gave yourself 2 weeks to do it? Or wanted to lose weight without having to work out 5 times a week and go on a diet? In these cases, I’m sure you probably turned to Doctor Oz or the internet to give you the magic solution to your weight loss crisis. In your search I’m sure that dietary supplements we’re plastered all over most websites you looked at, promising quick weight loss without any lifestyle changes. Although they do recommend, in small print, that you work out and eat healthy as well. I’m writing this blog to tell you, DON”T WASTE YOUR MONEY, or time. 
Being a nutrition major, dietary supplements are a familiar topic of conversation. I haven’t known one professor or health professional yet that would recommend a dietary supplement for the purpose of weight loss. Most of these products, such as, raspberry ketones and bee pollen, have been researched and studied by scientists and the results are very small pieces of evidence that are blown up to suggest that they mean something else. For example, raspberry ketones are found in many fruits that we know are healthy for weight loss. By showing that extreme amounts of these ketones have an effect on tiny liver fat cells in a culture, scientists and supplement companies can take this information and suggest that it means these ketones will melt away your body fat. It’s all one big blown up fabrication. There is no real evidence. What there is, is a psychological mind trick that makes consumers think that why they are losing weight is because of these supplements. Well, that’s really not why.
My advice for you if you are going to lose weight, is to do it naturally. It is a fact that fruits and vegetables are low in calories, have high water content, and are high in nutrients. These are all things that help you lose weight, stay full longer, and give you energy. Whole fruits and vegetables are also in their natural form. No synthetic contents, no unnatural substances, and in adequate, healthy amounts. The secret is, there is no secret to weight loss. It is not in a magic pill or a different colored green coffee bean. It’s a healthy diet with a good amount of exercise. All you need is a little motivation and some will power.