Management
Weight Loss Nonprescription Medications and Supplements
Editors: Fatima Cody Stanford MD, MPH, MPA, FAAP, FACP, FAHA, FTOS; Mala S. Sivanandy MD; Sarah R. Barenbaum MD; Alan Ehrlich MD, FAAFP
Background Information
Description
- Dietary supplements are used to supplement the diet to improve nutritional status. Some dietary supplements are reported to be associated with weight loss benefits for people with overweight or obesity, but evidence for their benefit is limited.
- The mechanisms of action for weight-reducing supplements may include improved carbohydrate metabolism, increased lipolysis or energy expenditure, and increased feelings of satiety.
- Weight loss supplements are available in capsules, tablets, liquids, powders, and bars.
- The safety of weight loss supplements is not always known. Many are thought to be harmless, while others are associated with severe adverse effects, such as hepatic failure, if used in large doses.,
- There is no evidence that any weight loss supplements marketed to consumers result in clinically meaningful weight loss. Supplements for weight loss should not be recommended to patients (AMA J Ethics 2022 May 1;24(5):E345).
Published by EBSCO Information Services. Copyright © 2025, EBSCO Information Services. All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission.
EBSCO Information Services accepts no liability for advice or information given herein or errors/omissions in the text. It is merely intended as a general informational overview of the subject for the healthcare professional.
DynaMed Levels of Evidence
Quickly find and determine the quality of the evidence.
DynaMed provides easy-to-interpret Level of Evidence labels so users can quickly find and determine the quality of the best available evidence. Evidence may be labeled in one of three levels:
1Level 1 (likely reliable) Evidence
2Level 2 (mid-level) Evidence
3Level 3 (lacking direct) Evidence
Grades of Recommendation
Guideline producers are now frequently using classification approaches for their evidence and recommendations, and these classifications are recognized and requested by guideline users. When summarizing guideline recommendations for DynaMed users, the DynaMed Editors are using the guideline-specific classifications and providing guideline classification approach when this is done.
Download the full version of Levels of Evidence