| 10 Weight Loss Promises That Spell F-R-A-U-D All Miavita Features
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by Paul R. Thomas, Ed.D, R.D.
Plain and simple: Many of the dietary supplements sold as "fat busters" in stores and especially over the Internet are worthless.
Ads for these products are textbook examples of deceit and trickery. When you see one of these come-ons, it should raise a red flag for fraud:
1) Lose weight while you eat or sleep
There's simply no such thing as effortless weight loss.
2) Our product does it all.
Sorry, but no single product can "do it all."
3) John Doe lost 50 pounds in one month with our product.
Testimonials often signal that the company has no scientific support to present - even when the testimonials come from physicians who should know better.
4) More effective than drugs.
Remember this: Prescription and over-the-counter drugs are legally required to prove evidence of effectiveness and safety; herbal and other dietary supplements generally are not.
5) The answer to permanent weight loss.
You'll never ever find this in a bottle. Losing weight and keeping it off requires a change in overall lifestyle.
6) All natural.
Don't confuse "natural" with "safe and effective." Natural compounds can be just as toxic or worthless as chemicals concocted in a laboratory.
7) Lose 10 pounds by the weekend.
Quick-fix products that speed up your metabolism (like those containing ephedra) or induce water loss (like laxatives) threaten your overall health.
Our "miraculous," "secret," "exclusive," and "time-tested" product is a "medical breakthrough."
These words and phrases almost always guarantee you're being bamboozled.
9) Our product "blocks fatty acid absorption in the gut," "increases production of brain neurotransmitters that induce satiety on less food," etc.
Beware medical jargon - if you don't really know what it means, it may well be meaningless.
10) "In the next 10 minutes I'll convince you..."
Be wary of claims in infomercials: They are notorious for spouting nonsense.
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