There are many diet pills on the market, but one that sticks
out to me as being marketed as the “miracle diet pill” that “actually works!”
is Garcinia cambogia. These pills are made from the Garcinia gummi-gutta, also
known as the Malabar tamarind, which is a small yellowish green fruit. Extracts
of their peels are used to make these diet pills, as the peels contain
Hydroxycitric acid (HCA). HCA supposedly suppresses appetite by increasing
serotonin levels. Low levels of serotonin can cause depression and anxiety,
which leads to emotional eating, so the idea behind increasing serotonin is
that emotional eating will decrease. HCA also inhibits citrate lyase, which is
a key enzyme the body uses to convert carbohydrates to fat. Some studies
suggest that HCA lowers levels of “bad” cholesterol in the blood, and is
effective in alleviating diabetes symptoms.
However, science does not have a fully supported answer as
to whether Garcinia cambogia is effective in causing weight loss. One article
said that “in conjunction with healthy diet and regular exercise, the studies
seem promising,” but the up-to 4 lbs lost per month was most likely due to the
changed diet and exercise, rather than the consumption of the pill. Still though,
Garcinia cambogia continues to be marketed as one of the most effective weight
loss pills, because the “science” behind HCA makes sense. People fall victim to
this ploy all the time, mostly because so long as there is a logical and
loosely science-based explanation behind the way the pill works, they are
hoping it is truly the miracle drug it claims to be and that this can be their
quick and easy fix to loosing weight. Companies know how to market this drug
best. One of the more popular bottles has a measuring tape wrapping it, as if
the inches are being shed off someone’s waist.
Additionally, diet pills are not regulated by the FDA. Any
claims they make do not necessarily have to be true, such as that the pill causes weight loss. Individuals looking
for best results from Garcinia cambogia should look for pills that contain at
least 50% HCA, as these are most likely to have any effect. But buyer be
warned, the amount they advertise to be in the pill is not necessarily true,
since again, it is not regulated by the FDA.
Interesting topic presented here. Being a student with very busy parents that try to cut corners when it comes to weight loss, I have been exposed to many different forms of weight loss supplements - especially Garcinia Cambogia. I have found that many people, like my parents, take this supplement without making any attempt at changing their unhealthy lifestyles. Additionally, I have found many marketing tools used with Garcinia Cambogia similar to the ways we discussed in class regarding celebrities. Advertising it mostly on social media forums and they use various celebrities to show that their supplement "really works!" with an exhaustive blog post to report its effectiveness. They further harness their consumers by marketing that it is cheaper to buy three bottles of the supplement and then sign up for a plan that delivers the product every three months. It is very interesting to see how consumers fall into this endless cycle. Thanks for the interesting read. Cheers.
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