A host of over-the-counter diet pills, particularly herbal products, contain extracts of a plant called "ephedra", which can be just as dangerous as ephedrine pills.
Have humans in this brave New Millennium of ours progressed very much further when it comes to the often potentially dangerous ideas relating to food, diet, health and disease?
Some plant products can be just as harmful as anything produced in a laboratory, if not more so. DietDoc explores this issue.
Is it possible to lose a significant amount of weight by simply taking so-called "supplements" or weight loss pills or drops? And what aren't the manufacturers telling us?
A plethora of supplements claim to help burn fat, suppress appetite and control cravings - all good outcomes to an eager dieter. So what's the harm in grabbing a bottle?
Are we onto something big here, or are we simply mineral fashion victims? Catherine Bothwell from Shape Magazine weighs up chromium supplementation.
The latest craze in diet pills is undoubtedly Hoodia gordonii. But is it safe to jump on this bandwagon? Not yet, cautions Health24's DietDoc.
Just because a slimming product contains "natural", plant-based components, it doesn't mean it's safe. DietDoc takes a look at the good, the bad and the ugly in one such product.
Since the MCC banned sales of the Simply Slim diet pill in SA, DietDoc has been inundated with queries about other over-the-counter slimming pills. Read her comments here.
The "new" sibutramine-free Simply Slim diet pill has left many desperate slimmers dismayed at the lack of results. DietDoc comments.
For once, DietDoc is pleased with our Health Minister's actions: her banning of over-the-counter sales of diet pills is a step in the right direction.
You take that slimming pill because it's "natural", or because your doctor prescribed it. Nothing bad can happen, right? Don't be so sure.
Many people suffering from obesity have taken diet pills obtained over the counter and/or had diet pills prescribed by their doctor.
Slimming is a mega-billion dollar industry throughout the world and South Africa is no exception. Wherever you look, you will find adverts and products which promise you effortless weight loss provided you take product X or swallow pill Y. So what do these 'magic' pills and drops really contain?
If you've seen those weight loss adverts on TV or in magazines promising dramatic weight loss in only days, you've probably wondered whether these diets really work.
Many people use shakes as a meal replacement. But is this really a risk-free way of losing weight and getting your tummy full? A dietician answers.
An article on the development of an "obesity vaccine" made headline news this week. Join DietDoc as she takes a look at the science behind the breakthrough.
The weight-loss industry is worth millions. It's hardly surprising that there are hundreds of specially formulated diet foods on the market. But are they slimming? Are they safe?
Popular diet product Simply Slim has been in the firing line of the press and online forums over reports that the product causes serious side-effects. DietDoc comments.
Soup diets with exotic names such as "The Sacred Heart Diet" should rather be called "The Starvation Soup Diet" as they are unbalanced an potentially dangerous, warns DietDoc.
