What is a Diet Patch?

In response to people wanting and needing to lose extra weight, manufacturers have come up with a solution called a "diet patch". The diet patch claims to help you lose weight without dieting and exercising.

What Is A Diet Patch?
A diet patch is an adhesive that sticks on the skin, similar to a Band-Aid. The ingredients in the diet patch enter your body through your skin and according to manufacturers, those ingredients help suppress your appetite and boost your metabolism.

How Does The Diet Patch Work?
Diet patch ingredients vary by manufacturer, however, universal ingredients for the diet patch include Guarana, Chromium, Garcinia Cambogia (also known as Brindle Berry), and Fucus vesiculosus (also known as bladderwrack or brown seaweed), Green Tea, and Yerba Mate.

You apply the diet patch to several parts of your body to clean skin once a day and over several weeks, the ingredients seep through the pores in your skin to enter your body. Once the ingredients have been absorbed by your body, your appetite decreases and your metabolism increases, causing you to lose weight.

What Do These Ingredients Do?
Most of the following ingredients are in the diet patch, however, before purchasing, please read the label.

Guarana - A stimulant and is used in most energy drinks and diet pills.

Chromium - Regulates insulin and balances blood sugar levels.

Garcinia Cambogia - Prevents the conversion of carbohydrates into fat by inhibiting the action of the enzyme Citrate Lyase.

Fucus Vesiculosus - Contains a high concentration of iodine. Iodine is used by the thyroid gland to make the various thyroid hormones necessary for optimal performance.

Green Tea - Increases metabolism and fat oxidation.

Yerba Mate - A strong brain stimulant that causes excessive stimulation.

Are Diet Patches Effective For Weight Loss?
There is no medical or scientific study that proves or disproves the effectiveness of diet patches, although some studies show that guarana and yerba mate are effective in giving individuals energy and assisting with weight loss.

Medical experts warn that although ingredients used in diet patches have been shown in studies to assist in weight loss, those studies did not include tests on how effective they are when applied to the skin.

Some ingredients can cause undesirable effects if used in excess of their recommended dosage, such as Yerba Mate. Yerba Mate has been known to cause high blood pressure and poisoning. Cancer of the esophagus has also been linked to Yerba Mate.

Are Diet Patches Safe?
The commonly used ingredients in most diet patches are safe for consumption, but can cause health problems in certain individuals with medical conditions such as liver disease and pregnancy. Diet patches have not been approved by the Food And Drug Administration (FDA). Diet patches are similar to nicotine patches only in theory. Nicotine patches deliver drugs to your system to curb your craving for cigarettes. Diet patches typically do not contain drugs. Most diet patches only contain herbs and teas. There are no medical or scientific studies that have been done on if and how those ingredients enter the system.

There are several diet patches on the market today. Some are from reputable companies while others are scams aimed at people who are desperate to lose weight. Research the company of the diet patch before you order and read reviews about consumers experiences before making a decision.

Please seek the advice of your physician before starting any kind of supplement or weight loss program.

Sources:

WebMD, Over-the-Counter and Herbal Remedies for Weight Loss, http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/herbal-remedies

Ultimate Fat Burner, Diet Patches for Men and Women, http://www.ultimatefatburner.com/diet-patches.html

The Diet Channel, Diet Patch: General Info, http://www.thedietchannel.com/Diet-Patch.htm