Raspberry Ketone: Real or Hype?

Raspberry ketones are promoted by Mehmet Oz, but should we believe the hype?

Raspberry ketone has garnered a good deal of attention recently.  This diet supplement was featured on an episode of Mehmet Oz's daytime television show.  Oz referred to the pills as a "revolutionary metabolism booster that you never heard of."

In fact, raspberry ketone is not that revolutionary at all.  It is a product that has been on sale internationally for years and known to the FDA since the 1960s.  The ketones "work" by regulating the body's release of norepinephrine, which causes a body-temperature spike and increase in metabolism, similar to other thermogenic diet pills currently on the market.

Raspberry ketones also have  potentially dangerous side effects. They should not be taken by diabetics or those with a heart condition, or high blood pressure.  The norepinephrine can have effects on blood pressure and heart rate.  Furthermore, people with COPD or asthma conditions should not take the ketones or risk exacerbating their condition.

The independent Consumers Lab recommends that raspberry ketone be used with caution - "and to be aware that the quality of supplements can suffer when companies rush to meet a new demand." 

The fact is that there are no randomized controlled research on humans published in peer-reviewed journals. The evidence thus far (and as presented on Oz's show) to the pills efficacy is simply anecdotal.

A few years ago Acai berry diet pills were all the rage after being featured on the Oprah Winfrey show.  They have been since proven to be nothing more than hype resulting in little help for consumers, but did fatten the bank accounts of the companies manufacturing the pills.

The diet industry is a multi-billion-dollar-a-year business.  There are some legitimate plans that actually do work.  Weight Watchers and The Dash Diet have been proven to work and are based on sound fundamentals and science.

My advice is stay away from the latest "miracle" diet pill, regardless of which television personality is touting it.  If it sounds too good to be true.....The secret to losing weight is no real secret at all: reduce calorie consumption and regular exercise.  As I mentioned in previous posts, this does not mean joining an expensive gym, brisk walking 30 minutes 5 times a week will do just fine.  Don't be duped into the latest marketing gimmick wanting to free you of your hard-earned money. Sometimes the old fashioned way is the way that actually works.

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