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thedrifter
04-03-09, 06:57 AM
A Heavy Subject: Supplements No Substitute For Healthy Living

4/2/2009 By Lance Cpl. Rashaun X. James , Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. — The Marine Corps and health authorities have taken a firm stance against the use of weight-loss supplements.


Weight-loss supplements have been proven to cause serious health problems for their users and should not be taken, said Rebekah A. Rayfield, a registered dietitian at Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point’s Wellness Clinic.


Rayfield said it is a myth that supplements alone can produce the desired results safely. She said observed weight loss is more a result of the diet and exercise regimens supplements require for the product to work, than the pills themselves.


"The truth is that there is no substitute for a well-balanced diet and good exercise," said Rayfield.


The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers about tainted weight-loss supplements that contain undeclared, active pharmaceutical ingredients. Since 2008, the FDA has about 70 products that may put consumers at risk.


Rayfield said weight-loss supplements are not screened by the FDA, and therefore are not put through the rigorous trials and tests that prescription medications are put through.


"I feel bad for all the consumers who feel the need to use weight-loss supplements," Rayfield said. "It’s not the cure for their problem and a waste of money. In order to be successful with long-term weight loss, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential."


Since February 2001, the Marine Corps banned sales of products containing ephedrine at its exchanges because of the drug’s contribution to negative cardiovascular effects like heart palpitation, strokes, heatstroke, high blood pressure and even heart attack, said Rayfield


"The greatest risk in using these products is the adverse effects on the heart," said Rayfield.


Since then, Guarana, a similar substance, has replaced ephedrine in many products. Guarana causes many of the same health problems, Rayfield warned.


"Taking ephedrine out of weight-loss supplements and putting in Guarana only provides consumers with a false sense of security," Rayfield said.


The expert opinion is clear. Weight-loss supplements are more of a hindrance to good health than an aid.


"As a dietitian I would not recommend the use of weight-loss supplements,” Rayfield said. "They’re both a major health risk and a waste of money."


The Departments of the Army, Navy and Air Force and Army have joined in a collaborative effort to make military personnel more aware of the risks and benefits involved in taking supplements by publishing the "Warfighter’s Guide to Dietary Supplements." The guide contains information regarding which supplements provide the best results, as well as those which are a waste of money and should be avoided at all costs.


The guide can be found at the Web site, http:// chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/documents/tg/ techguid/tg295.pdf


For more information on healthy living, contact The Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point Wellness Clinic at 466-0258.

Ellie