Does Lipozene work?

View image | gettyimages.com

I was watching TV the other day and happened to see a commercial for a weight loss supplement known as Lipozene.  It sounded amazing!  People lost 20, 50, or even 90 pounds without having to change their lifestyle.  They didn't have to exercise more or even modify their diets.  Sounds like a winner right?

Well, not so fast.  I looked closer at the fine print at the bottom of the screen.  You know, the one that requires a magnifying glass or a pause button.  The fine print, also found on their website, states that in an 8 week clinical study, the "Active Group lost 4.93 pounds more than the Placebo Group."  What that means is that those who took this supplement on average lost only about 5 pounds compared to those who didn't.  So what happened to all those that lost 50 pounds or more?

The truth is that Lipozene doesn't tell you what the average starting weight for study participants was.  If an individual weighs 300 pounds, then losing 50 pounds is not as difficult as when a person weighs 200 pounds.  If a person weighs 150 pounds and wants to lose some weight, losing those extra pounds is significantly more difficult.  Even if people did lose 20 or 50 pounds, the average weight loss is still only 5 pounds with this supplement.

The reviews on their website have a majority of people who changed their lifestyle and are working out  now to lose more weight.  I hate to break it to you but exercising without Lipozene also leads to weight loss.  Why take a supplement that makes you "feel fuller faster and longer"?  Why not just eat better and exercise more often without introducing a foreign substance into your body (which has no FDA guidelines by the way).

Lastly, what is really shocking is that Lipozene claims to have no caffeine or other ingredients, yet they send you a bottle of MetaboUP with every order.  When you look at the ingredients on this, it contains 120 mg of caffeine which is more than a cup of coffee.  Additionally, it contains an ingredient called "pharmaceutical glaze."  I don't even want to begin to guess what a pharmaceutical glaze is.  If Lipozene was so effective, why include a bottle of a stimulant that contradicts everything that your product is supposed to represent?

It's sad to see the obesity epidemic reach new heights in America, but it is even more disappointing to see companies such as Lipozene exploit victims of obesity.  The proof is in the pudding though.  Lipozene is not any more effective at weight loss than diet and exercise and does not offer any of the cardiovascular benefits either.  It's time to take that Lipozene money and spend it eating better and exercising.

Russell Wilson and his Recovery Water claim

Russell Wilson recently went on Twitter to say that a brand of water called "Recovery Water" prevented him from having a concussion.

I believe @Recovery_Water helped prevent me from getting a concussion based on a bad hit! 😇 #NanoBubbles

— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) August 26, 2015

It just so happens that Russell Wilson is a spokesperson for Recovery Water.  The claim he made is unfortunately unproven and not well thought out. Recovery water is "electrokinetically modified water" which means it has some added electrolytes.  The company also claims it has something called "nanobubbles" which isn't even a medical term and nobody understands what these bubbles do.  Essentially, the water has some minerals that are supposed to help with muscle recovery.

The difference in the company's claim and Russell Wilson's claim is that the company only mentions muscle recovery from muscle fatigue.  Their claims are based on studies done on 40 people.  Think about that for a second, 40 people.  That is about as small a sample size as you can get.  That study basically holds no merit, but at least the company isn't coming out and saying they have hard data.  Russell Wilson, however, takes it to another level and thinks it prevented a concussion.  So far we know of basically one thing that prevents concussions: not getting hit in the head.  There are various helmets and products that are trying to prevent concussions, but they aren't quite there yet either.  Simply put, Russell Wilson's claim is invalid and a poor job at marketing. I just hope this doesn't lead to uninformed young adults running out to buy Recovery Water.

Too old to exercise?

View image | gettyimages.com

When we think of the benefits of exercise, we somehow always picture it benefitting a young adult who will continue to exercise regularly.  We rarely think of the benefits of exercise in older individuals.  It turns out we don't think about it enough.

A new study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine monitored 6,000 Norwegian men for 12 years and found that 51% of the men who died in their 70s were sedentary, whereas only approximately 25% of the men who died exercised moderately to vigorously.  This shows a clear correlation that men who exercise moderately or vigorously are likely to live longer.  They also found that 30 minutes of moderate exercise six days a week was associated with a 40% lower risk of death.

These numbers are impressive when you consider the fact that most medications cannot produce the same results.  Add to the fact that most medications usually have some type of side effect, exercise is quite simply the safest bet in preventing disease.  Best of all, exercise comes in various forms and you can decide what works best for you.

So if you've ever wondered if it's too late to exercise, think again.  Exercise can not only be started at any age, but this study shows that it is never too late.  For more information on exercise, visit Exercise is Medicine.

Most common causes of Sore Throat

View image | gettyimages.com

While we are deeply entrenched in cold and flu season, patients often think that they have strep throat.  Many will have children who had strep throat or friends of their children who had it and want to be checked out to see if they have picked it up.  The fact is, strep throat is less common than you think, and that's a good thing.  There are several other reasons for a sore throat that are far more likely than strep throat.  So what exactly is strep throat?

Strep throat is a term that is commonly used to describe an infection of the throat by a bacteria called Group A Streptococcus.  This accounts for 15 to 30 percent of sore throats in children but only 5 to 20 percent of sore throats in adults.  The most common features of a strep throat are high fever, white patches on the throat or tonsils, swollen glands, and lack of a cough.  This is very different than the common cold which presents with sore throat, cough, congestion, low-grade fever, and bodyaches.

So what are the most common causes of a sore throat?

Viral infection- this is by far the most common.  Since colds are caused by viruses they will almost always lead to a sore throat in the beginning.

Allergies and Post-nasal drip- environmental allergens can irritate the throat directly or lead to fluid draining into the back of the throat.

Acid reflux- when there is acid build-up in the stomach, it flows back up into the throat and creates irritation and may even lead to a hoarse voice.

There are many other conditions that can lead to sore throats, but those are the most common.  Viral infections and allergies/post-nasal drip are by far at the top of the list and should be considered first in the absence of the symptoms mentioned for strep throat.  So the next time you have a sore throat, take a closer look at your symptoms, your temperature, and your previous medical history for a possible answer.  It may be easier than you think!