Posted by: sonyp1i on: November 6, 2008
What is a dietary supplement?
Diet supplements refer to those drugs that can provide one or more essential nutrients that are needed by the body. They may contain one or a set of vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, protein and others. Diet supplements can be made out of chemical processes or they can be derived from herbs, botanicals, and other plant-derived substances.
Basically, you can easily differentiate diet supplements from other drugs since it comes with product labels which include the words “dietary supplement”. In addition to those words, dietary supplements should contain a “Supplement Facts” panel on its labels.
Diet supplements can come in the form of tablets, pills, capsules, powders, syrup, soft gels, gel caps, and liquid drinks. These drugs are available in health food stores and pharmacies. However, some groceries and department stores also offer these drugs. You can also get your supply through mail-order catalogs, directs sales of medical representatives, TV programs, and over the internet.
The diet supplement labels
Just like any other form of medications, diet supplements can be dangerous if they are not prepared or manufactured in a high quality manner. However, one way to make sure that your diet supplement is of good quality, you have to examine its label. In general, all dietary supplements should contain the following information:
a. Statement of identity: identifies the herbs or the main ingredient that was used for the supplement.
b. Net quantity of contents: shows how many capsules is in the container
c. Structure-function claim and the statement “This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”
d. Directions for use: shows the dosage for the dietary supplements i.e. how many capsules a day, etc.
e. Supplement facts panel: shows the size, amount, and the active ingredient
f. Other ingredients that were used to manufacture the supplement: these should be stated using their common name or proprietary blend.
g. Name and place of business of manufacturer, packer or distributor
Checking the quality
Other than examining the labels of the dietary supplement, the customer will have to do the following procedures in order to ensure the safety of the dietary supplements:
a. Examine the ingredients of the diet supplements. Check if they have the U.S.P. (U.S. Pharmacopoeia) notation. Check if the supplements were also approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
b. Check each of the ingredients, whether they are natural and organic. Do a research of their contraindications, drug interactions, and possible side effects based on scientific and clinical researches.
c. Check the name of the manufacturer or the distributor. Do a research about the manufacturer and examine if they comply with tight standards in manufacturing their products. Check the credibility of the manufacturer.
d. If you want to find out more about the diet supplements, you can consider writing to the manufacturer and inquire about the product. You can ask about the manufacturing and packaging process, or you can further ask about the various ingredients that were used in making the supplement.
Posted by: sonyp1i on: November 6, 2008
Losing weight is a long and uphill battle. We often give up before we even reach the end of the game. Some of us fall into a vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting. The good news is it does not always have to be this way. What you may need is the help of weight loss pills.
If you stumble start over
Falling off the wagon is normal. Having a cake or a slice of pizza will not bring the end of the world. If you give in to your cravings today, exercise it off tomorrow. The important thing is not to give up.
Get the right help
Sometimes going to the gym and eating right is not enough. When exercising and the right foods are not yielding results, you may want to consider using weight loss pills.
What are weight loss diet pills?
Weight loss pills are supplements that can do two things for you: help you loose weight and help you keep the weight off. The problem is, there are so many of these pills flooding the market that you never know which pill to choose.
Choosing the right weight loss pills
Read the label. The label contains the active ingredients of the diet pills, manufacturer, contraindications and good through date. If the label is too small or incomplete, it should be supplemented by other forms of literature that comes with the product. Drug companies are required by law to disclose what their pills contain so take advantage of this. Raise a red flag if the bottle or box does not disclose its ingredients or any important information.
Know the weight loss pills’ ingredients. Extra care is needed when it comes to supplements. Some ingredients may be very effective in suppressing appetite but are extremely dangerous like fen-phen or fenfluramine and phentermine. Studies show that these two affect the heart and nervous system adversely. Pills containing fen-phen have been pulled out of the market.
Natural is good but not always. The word natural and herbal do not always mean safe. Remember, most medicines have been cultivated from plants and other living organisms. This means that they have their own levels of potencies and contraindications. An herbal plant that treats anemia may also raise your blood pressure.
Know your brand and manufacturer. Weight loss pills are taken orally so make sure that what you are putting in your mouth is made by a reputable company. Drug companies value good will more than anything else so they will go through great lengths to protect it.
Ask your doctor. Your doctor is the best person to advise you about your health. He or she is familiar with your medical history. Never take any supplement without consulting your doctor first. You can ask him or her at great lengths to explain the active components of supplements. More importantly, he or she is in a position to tell you whether taking such pills will help or harm you.
Weight loss pills may help you achieve your ideal fitness level or figure. Take your time in choosing the right pill. Make sure that you choose the most helpful pill for you.
Posted by: sonyp1i on: November 6, 2008
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