Green Tea Extract Does Not Help You Lose Weight. Other Dietary Supplements Too

Green tea extract does not help you lose weight. Other dietary supplements too

Australian scientists have not found sufficient evidence that herbal remedies can effectively help combat obesity. A major review they published evaluates the scientific evidence over 19 years.

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Australian scientists have not found sufficient evidence that herbal remedies can effectively help combat obesity. A major review that evaluates data over 19 years is published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism.

As the prevalence of obesity increases worldwide, more and more people are turning to alternative weight loss treatments, noted Dr. Nick Fuller, University of Sydney professor and lead author of the study.

“The problem with supplements is that they are not drugs, and they don't require proof of efficacy to sell,” he said.

Scientists reviewed 54 studies that compared herbal remedies to placebos for weight loss. Among them were extracts of green tea, ephedra, beans, garcinia and others. Several studies have shown some effectiveness of herbal extracts. But their effect was so small (less than 2.5 kilograms) that it could not be considered statistically significant.

The authors emphasized that the high cost of bioactive supplements turned out to be completely unjustified.

“The growth in production and popularity of these products underscores the importance of better research on their efficacy and safety in weight management,” said Dr. Fuller.