Fat loss hope or hype – the truth about weight loss supplements

Weight-loss supplements are facing public scrutiny after recent criticisms of Isagenix pulled the country’s latest weight-loss obsession into question.

The controversial new diet has divided the country, with its one meal a day – plus shakes and branded snacks system – which generates money for those who refer others.

Consumer testimonials have exploded on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as a result of the programme’s worldwide legion of 500,000 users who can’t seem to publicise its benefits enough. A simple “message me for more information” is usually all that follows, making it unclear if these testimonials are authentic or an attempt to become self-made “Isagenix millionaires”. 

The programme is ringing alarm bells for industry professionals who say this is just the latest offering from the very low calorie diet (VLCD) family.  

Xtend-Life Natural Products founder and chair Warren Matthews says there is no such thing as a “magic weight-loss solution” and warns consumers to do their research.

“It’s irresponsible for companies to promote situations where a person has used a product and lost eight kilograms in two weeks. If you don’t also make permanent changes to your diet, lifestyle and levels of exercise, any weight you’ve lost will quickly pile back on,” he says.

Warren also cautions consumers to not just research the effectiveness of weight loss management products but also investigate the company making or marketing them.

Garcinia Cambogia was the last consumer weight-loss revolution to hit Kiwis below the belt after Dr Mehmet Oz let his viewers of the Doctor Oz Show in on a “new diet secret” in November 2013.

“As a result of that show, manufacturers and product marketers around the world jumped on the bandwagon and started mass producing Garcinia Cambogia as the answer to weight-loss by quoting Dr Oz,” says Warren.

“The issue is that some products are a dubious quality, and a number of fraudulent companies started selling ineffective products or scamming vulnerable consumers. People have been taken advantage of and they lose hope – but that’s not to say a product doesn’t work.”

Xtend-Life Natural Products launched its new Garcinia Cambogia and Green Coffee Bean weight loss supplement this month (1 July 2015).

Garcinia Cambogia extract (GCE) comes from a tropical fruit in India and Southeast Asia. The active ingredient, hydroxycitric acid (HCA), has been shown to block or inhibit a key enzyme in the body’s fat-making process and supress the appetite.

The enzyme ATP-citrate-lyase converts excess sugars and carbohydrates from our diet into stored fat, which often leads to weight gain. However, block that enzyme and the excess sugars and carbohydrates get diverted into energy production rather than accumulating as body fat. Then as the person burns fat through a daily exercise routine, there’s less to replace it, causing their overall fat level go down.

HCA appears to have an ability to suppress the appetite but not in the same way as a stimulant-based diet pill. HCA increases the level of satisfaction (serotonin) a person receives from food making it easier to control portion sizes and eat less. HCA is also said to decrease cholesterol (LDL), and triglycerides by 10-30 percent and raise levels of good cholesterol (HDL).      

This has led Garcinia Cambogia to be used in dietary supplements as a support for weight-loss management. 

As the active component for weight management is the HCA content, Warren says it is important to look at the HCA amount in supplements to ensure value for money and maximum effects. 

He recommends sourcing products with a minimum of 700mg of hydroxycitric acid per serving. 

Xtend-Life nutritionist Madelynn Tolsma warns consumers against being fooled by products claiming to have high percentages of HCA or high levels of fruit peel in a product as it can be misleading.

A New Zealand supplement company, selling its “high strength” Just Garcinia Cambogia weight-loss supplement for NZ$50 per bottle (60 capsules), is marketing the product as containing 80 percent hydroxycitric acid.

“This is a marketing ploy to trick consumers into thinking they are purchasing a higher quality product when in actual fact if you look on the label – the product clearly states it only contains 550mg of Garcinia Cambogia Extract,” says Madelynn.

In a direct comparison, Xtend-Life’s Garcinia Cambogia and Green Coffee Bean weight-loss supplement contains 1400mg of Garcinia Cambogia Extract providing 785mg of HCA for NZ$25.95 per bottle (90 capsules).

“Our product is about half the price but much more potent,” she says. “This is why it pays to understand the product label before you make a purchase.”

Warren says Xtend-Life’s Garcinia Cambogia and Green Coffee Bean weight-loss supplement was created as a result of enquiries from loyal customers who were “purchasing it from other companies but had concerns about the quality of the product”.

“We created this supplement to give our customers direct access to a high quality product

containing high levels of HCA to support weight-loss management. We guarantee that what is on the label is in the product,” says Warren. 

Xtend-Life sources its GCE from a remote area in India, located away from pollutants and contaminants. No chemical solvents are used in the water extraction process. The GCE is dried in a vacuum environment with lower temperatures to preserve the quality and efficacy of the ingredient.

Green Coffee Bean Extract is sourced from raw, unroasted coffee beans and contains chlorogenic acids to support healthy weight management. It is also high in antioxidants to help manage free radicals.

Last year Xtend-Life Natural Products spent about $500,000 on raw ingredient testing to check for purity and potency.

“There is clinical data to support that Garcinia Cambogia can be helpful in weight-loss management but we are certainly not saying it is a miracle solution for weight loss,” says Warren.

“As with all supplements, there is a place for weight-loss products but they are only one part of a total regime.”

For optimal results, Xtend-Life recommends taking one capsule at least 30 minutes before each meal, three times per day. For more information, visit