Excerpted from Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Friday, 21 January 2000.

Metabolife, Metabolite and Chitoslim: Safe Bets for Losing Weight?

Denise Palmeri, Colorado State University -- Eat anything you want and still lose weight. This claim and others like it send Consumers scurrying to buy several weight loss products -- Metabolife, Metabolite and Chitoslim, for example. But do these products really work? And if they do, are they safe?

Metabolife

Let's start with Metabolife. On hisWeb site, Michael J. Ellis, the creator of Metabolife 3567, explains how in 1989 he created this herbal concoction. Ellis combined 18 herbs to create a formula to help his father during his battle with bone cancer. Ellis was trying to help his father regain energy to enjoy the remainder of his life.

Since his father's death, Ellis has reformulated the product and now markets it for a new purpose: weight loss. The MetabolifeWeb site states, "The energy that the dietary supplement Metabolife 3567 gave Joseph Ellis to fight the fatigue of cancer is now used by millions of Americans to fight another battle, those excess pounds of body fat caused by overeating and lack of exercise. By speeding up a user's metabolism, this formula not only makes the user feel more energetic, but also reduces appetite and helps the body burn calories."

According to the label, the active ingredients in one Metabolife 3567 caplet are chromium piccolinate, guarana and ma huang concentrate. Widely touted as a weight-loss aid, chromium piccolinate has shown only a slight weight-loss benefit in people who were already chromium deficient.

Guarana is a naturally-occurring caffeine. The amount in one caplet, 40 mg, is equivalent to one caffeinated soda. A severely overweight person, however, could consume as many as eight caplets per day -- equal to the caffeine in eight sodas (a lot of caffeine) -- and still be following Metabolife's recommendations.

Caffeine is a known diuretic, mild stimulant and appetite-suppressant. Combined with adrenaline or something similar to adrenaline -- ma huang or ephedra -- the final active ingredient in Metabolife 356, no wonder this caplet helps people gain energy and lose weight. The caffeine suppresses the appetite and rids the body of water weight, then the combination of ma huang and caffeine speeds up the heart to give the feeling of added energy.

Metabolite

Metabolite, a similar product produced by a company called AIM, is widely marketed through pyramid-type schemes. It also contains the mineral chromium but has two other main ingredients: hydroxycitric acid (HCA) and an herb from India known as Gymnema sylvestre.

HCA is a close relative of citric acid, the component that gives oranges, lemons, limes and other citrus fruits their characteristic tart flavor. Citric acid is a common substance. HCA, however, is found in only a few plant species. One of its main sources is the herb, Garcinia cambogia. HCA has shown some effect on appetite suppression in preliminary animal studies, but human studies have not duplicated these results. The herb has shown no effect on weight loss.

In the double-blind study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, half of the 135 study subjects received 1,500 mg of HCA per day, the other half a placebo. Both groups followed a high-fiber, reduced-calorie diet. While both groups lost weight during the three-month study, there was no difference in the amount of weight or body fat lost. The researchers concluded that Garcinia cambogia failed to produce weight loss beyond that observed with a placebo.

The other ingredients in Metabolite have been examined mostly for their role in blood sugar control, not weight loss. The leaves of Gymnema sylvestre, a woody climbing plant native to India, have been used for centuries in the treatment of diabetes in that part of the world. Health claims for this herb state it blocks up to 50 percent of the sugar calories eaten and blocks the taste of sugar on the tongue. It is important to note, however, that this product has not been approved by the FDA as a sweetener. More research is needed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of this herb.

Chitosan

Another weight loss product widely marketed over Denver area radio stations for the past year is Chitoslim. Chitoslim 5000 is the trade name for a product called Chitosan. It's marketed by Jayco, a company being investigated for fair trade practices after New Zealand Consumers lost money when dissatisfied with another Jayco weight loss product, Medex Diet Patches.

According to information from companies that market Chitosan, it is an all-natural product derived from the polysaccharide chitin. Chitin is found in the exo-skeletons of shrimp, crabs and other shellfish. Chitosan is a marine fiber that binds fat in the stomach. It is believed that this will keep dietary fat from being stored in the body as unwanted fat. In general, however, fat blockers are not always beneficial. The concerns with using a fat blocker are the loss of the fat-soluble vitamins A, E, D and K. Less absorption of fat may mean less absorption of these vitamins as well.

Proponents say that Chitosan can help with weight loss because the body must then convert previously stored body fat for an energy source because it is not digesting and absorbing fat from one's diet.

In an international medical data search on Chitosan, a Consumer research group found 80 references for its use. But, according to a recent study, it does not help with weight-loss at all.

Summary

The bottom line with using Metabolife 3567, Metabolite or Chitoslim lies in their ingredients. Although the labels say the ingredients are "all-natural," this still presents a safety concern, especially with ephedra.

"Consumers should be aware that just because a product is labeled 'natural' or from an herbal source, it is not guaranteed to be safe," said Dr. Michael Friedman, Deputy Commissioner of Food and Drugs. "The effects of ephedrine alkaloids are potentially powerful ones. We urge people to talk to their doctors before using dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids and to always use them with caution."

Some ingredients, such as chromium or Chitosan, show only limited results and are not recommended for weight loss. The ma huang or ephedra contained in Metabolife, however, can be downright dangerous. Ephedra mimics the effects of adrenaline, producing such symptoms as rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, agitation and insomnia. In 1997, in fact, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning urging Consumers not to consume dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids (ephedra). This warning was based on several deaths linked to it. Individuals who were most dramatically affected by ephedrine were those who had existing (known or unknown) heart problems.

The FDA also recommended that supplements contain no more than eight mg or more of ephedrine alkaloids per serving and no more than 24 mg per day. In addition, individuals should not use ephedrine-containing products for more than seven days. But each Metabolife 3567 caplet contains 12 mg. A total of 96 mg per day could be consumed, based on eight caplets per day. Long-term usage is not addressed by Metabolife 3567.

So, what's a body to do? Do what's tried and true. Skip the shortcuts and follow the guidelines given for decades: Eat right and exercise. Eat a low-fat, calorie-moderate diet of lean meats, low-fat dairy products and plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The added vitamins and minerals from the fruits and vegetables will naturally increase energy levels. And don't forget to exercise. Exercise can help burn off unwanted fat and calories and increase stamina for daily activities.

Or if you must follow the claims made on products such as Metabolife, how about losing weight by following the part of that product's label that reads:

"Eat something for each meal, and eat meals slowly. Listen to your body before you take another serving.

Do not skip meals.

Practice moderate calorie restriction.

Lower fat consumption (less than 20 percent fat calories) and avoid processed foods.

Drink six to eight glasses of water per day.

Exercise regularly (30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 3 to 4 times a week)."

This part of the product label contains good diet advice for us all.

Excerpted from Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Friday, 21 January 2000.