Food Supplements for Body Weight Reduction: A Systematic Review of Systematic Reviews

IntroductIon A wide range of complementary therapies is currently being promoted for reducing body weight, e.g., herbal and nonherbal food supplements, homeopathy, hypnosis, and acupuncture (1). Many patients perceive these therapies as easier to comply with than interventions such as diet and physical exercise (2) and as more natural than pharmacological options like orlistat, sibutramine, or liraglutide (3,4). Although mainstream drugs for body weight reduction must demonstrate efficacy before receiving a license, food supplements do not need to meet this requirement. Few food supplements have therefore been submitted to clinical trials, and many health-care professionals feel uncertain about their therapeutic value. The objective of this overview was to summarize and critically evaluate all available systematic reviews of food supplements for body weight reduction.

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