Many people are willing to try almost anything on the market that can show them a future glimmer of hope and happiness in a smaller, skinnier and healthier body. Anyone that sells products for weight loss knows this. It's not a secret. People that want to lose weight are looking for something, anything that in their minds will work for them, or has worked for their friends or family. They need that glimmer of hope to hang on to before they open their wallet and purchase products.
This glimmer of hope may come in the form of before and after pictures posted along with weight marked on the pictures, you may see pictures of toes on a scale with a change in the numbers. Some pictures come with testimonials that tug on our heart strings and give stories that most people can relate to somehow; then we say to ourselves 'if this person can do this, so can I'.
There are some people that don't need the pictures or stories of others, but they need verbal confirmation. They need to hear if they should get their hopes up and try a weight loss product or health supplement to loose weight from someone that they know, someone that they trust, or someone that is a friend of a friend that is selling the products.
Wherever you fit in this, and whatever it is that is motivating you to open your wallet, there are a few quick tips you can do to be sure that what you are seeing and what you are hearing is true.
Tip #1
Use Google search engine.
- Search for those testimony pictures or those feet/scale pictures that you had seen.
On those pictures, right click and select 'search google for this image'
Google will display all the results that have used that picture before in that size, and give you the option to search for other sizes.
Scroll quickly through them, ignoring the ones that associate itself with the product you are about to spend your money on..look for what is out of place.
If you were looking for this image from ABC company and found it was with XYZ company, or if it had another persons name ... uh oh!
A company can themselves one of the Hottest Weight Loss Products on the web, but fraud is fraud and that's not so hot!
Put your wallet away!
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| this image may be subject to copyright: xenadrine before and after pictures |
Other tips :
The BBB suggests:
- Consumers review claims themselves and ask for copies of clinical human studies that support any claims that products can treat or cure diseases or ailments. Any claims that a product can cure or treat diseases or ailments should be reported to the BBB immediately.
- Federal law through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows for some claims, if scientific evidence is available. The FDA does not review or authorize claims.
You will note that dietary supplement companies all have a disclaimer on their sites which states "This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease."
This statement is required by law and is used to alert the public that the product has not been reviewed, essentially buyer beware.
For more information regarding nutritional/dietary claims check out these on-line resources:
- U. S. Food and Drug Administration - Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition:
- http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ds-oview.html
- Federal Trade Commission
- http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/health/drugs.shtm
- Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota -
- http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/supplements/CM00016
- National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health
- www.pubmed.gov
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
- www.mccam.nih.gov
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