Weight Loss Patches

Do weight loss patches really work? After having received my umpteenth spam e-mail for a diet patch I thought I'd check them out and write a review.

After some due diligence, this will be a short review!

Whilst trying not to let my natural scepticism blind me to any proven benefits that these products may have, if there's a better candidate for a weight loss scam, I'd be happy to see it!

Now, let's be objective for a moment...

How do Weight Loss Patches Work...?

There are a lot of weight loss patches out there and I'm not going to pick on one brand in particular. Simply because they all work - or don't work - on the same 'principle' and contain the same main 'miracle' ingredients.

The patches attach to the skin and are purported to deliver the ingredients "transdermally". In other words, the ingredients are absorbed into the body through the skin.

All well and good.

So what are the ingredients and do they actually help you to burn fat and lose weight?

Ho-hum, the usual suspects:

  • Garcinia Cambogia
  • Guarana
  • Chromium Picolinate
  • Fucus Vesiculosus (Seaweed to the rest of us!)
  • Green Tea extract

    • There are variously other ingredients, but there is absolutely no evidence whatever to support their efficacy for weight loss.

    We've reviewed Garcinia Cambogia on our page on herbal supplements.

    Take a look for the full story, but suffice to say there is scant and conflicting evidence for its effectiveness and any effect on weight loss is minimal at best.

    Guarana has a similar effect to caffeine and can be mildy beneficial for weight loss, but again the effect is minimal.

    We've reviewed chromium picolinate and there is no evidence to support claims that it has a beneficial effect in terms of weight loss, fat burning or in increasing metabolism.

    Fucus vesiculosus contains iodine and is purported by the manufacturers of weight loss patches to help the body burn fat.

    Iodine does have a role in regulating the activity of the thyroid gland. A sluggish thyroid can lead to weight gain, but iodine will only help if you have a sluggish thyroid to begin with and if that's the cause of your weight gain.

    For the vast majority of overweight and obese people it's not.

    Overeating and insufficient exercise are the problem. Iodine won't help counteract the effects of either of those!

    That leaves green tea, for which there is a growing body of evidence to suggest a beneficial role in weight management.

    However, green tea on it's own will not deliver the benefits the manufacturers claim for weight loss patches. Anyway, you don't need a patch, just drink a few cups of green tea each day!

    The Bottom Line...

    At least one of the manufacturers of diet patches has been heavily fined for making unsubstantiated claims for their weight loss patches. They won't be the last!

    In other words, when instructed to do so by the regulatory authorities they could provide no compelling evidence to prove they worked.

    No surprise there then. Our advice? Save your money as we can think of absolutely no reason whatsoever for you to give weight loss patches a try.

    Unless you're thinking of going as Captain Jack from the Pirates of the Caribbean to a fancy dress party and need an eye patch!

    A healthy diet and regular exercise are the only ways to lose weight and get in shape. Weight loss patches do not offer a viable alternative.

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