Trimspa - Remedy or Ripoff?

In an interview on New York's WB11 WPIX Television with Dr. Mike Rosen, Dr. Gage discusses TrimSpa supplement.

Remedy or Ripoff - Trimspa Transcript from WPIX Television

TrimSpa

In this week's Remedy or Ripoff segment: one of the hottest weight loss supplements out today: Trimspa claims to help people lose more than three times as much weight as those not on the supplement.

But are the claims valid?

Like millions of Americans, Penny Genovese was losing the battle of the bulge. "I always struggled with my weight. Nothing ever worked," says Penny.

She peaked at 240 pounds until she saw an ad for Trimspa.

There are currently four Trimspa products available. The most popular line is the one anna nicole promotes-- Trimspa x32.

The key ingredient: hoodia gordonii, the south african plant that has been reported to be able to suppress appetite. The hoodia is a source of fiber.

Trimspa contains at least two other sources of fiber, and fiber can suppress appetite.

So can caffeine, found in the product Trimspa energy.

So it's possible the combination of ingredients in Trimspa does cause appetite suppression and subsequent weight loss.

But what's the proof?

"Our clinical studies have shown about 3 1/2 times more weight loss than diet and exercise alone," claims Alex Goen, CEO of Trimspa.

On average, those on Trimspa lost around seven pounds compared to around two pounds lost on placebo.

Nice numbers; however this study looked at patients only over eight weeks.

"We didn't do long term follow up," says Mr.Goen.

Also, the study had 83 subjects split into two groups.

"I would like to see Trimspa do a scientific study with 100 patients on placebo and on Trimspa and show me the data" says Dr. Dennis Gage, an endocrinologist and obesity expert at Lenox Hill Hospital.

That's the big issue: Trimspa refused to allow us to see the data they did report.

So is it effective...and safe?

"I guess the best thing we can say is this, we have virtually very positive consumer experience, we don't have any adverse events on any kind of frequent basis," says Mr. Goen.

Registered dietician Amy Fleishman is not convinced. "Is it safe, maybe the company is saying it is safe but it is not FDA regulated. It is not supported by evidence," states Ms. Fleishman.

Dr. Gage adds, "Just because it's over the counter doesn't mean that it's a 100% safe, and that goes for a lot of nutritional products."

But penny swears by it, claiming she lost more than 58 pounds thanks to Trimspa. "I did what they asked by working out, eating right, I joined the gym immediately, worked my butt off, took my Trimspa which did help because it did give me the full feeling that I really needed."

But then, what helped penny lose the weight--the Trimspa, or the diet and exercise?

A clinical study looking at that--that we could all see--would help provide the answer.

Trimspa does contain green tea extract, a product which Dr. Gage, an obesity expert, says does hold promise as a weight loss supplement.

Again, it may very well cause one to lose weight, it may suppress the appetite.

But you'll have to decide for yourself without seeing the short-term data they're reporting.

And of course, speak to your doctor.

 

 

 

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