Trimspa Ingredients

Having gained media exposure through an ad campaign using the late reality television star Anna Nicole Smith, the makers of TrimSpa put yet another diet pill on the market. The company markets its diet pills as a way to lose weight without diet or exercise. According to the company's website, its proprietary blend of ingredients "improves the body's ability to burn fat more effectively." The company also states the products prevent excess calories from converting to fat molecules. In 2007, TrimSpa was fined by the Federal Trade Commission for making false claims. The ingredients in TrimSpa may not be effective for reducing weight.

Types of TrimSpa

• The makers of TrimSpa offer four distinct products with different blends. The most popular is TrimSpa 32, which users take throughout the day for weight loss. TrimSpa LipoSpa is designed to be taken before consumption of a meal high in fat such as fast food. TrimSpa CarbSpa is intended for users to take before they eat a meal high in carbohydrates. The fourth product is H2O Release Spa, which is an herbal diuretic.

Major Ingredients

• TrimSpa 32, which is purported to increase metabolism and suppress appetite, contains 125 mg of Hoodia Gordonii. Hoodia is an extract from a South African cactus plant that is said to take away appetite. The pill also contains green tea, which may have appetite-suppressing qualities. Green tea is also an antioxidant. Other ingredients include glucosamine, which regulates blood sugar levels, and cocoa extract, which acts as a diuretic. Citrus naringin and vanadium, believed by some to be appetite suppressors, are added to the mix. Completing the ingredient list are chromium, which regulates blood sugar, and glucomannan, a source of dietary fiber.

Other Ingredients

• The other TrimSpa products offer different blends of ingredients TrimSpa LipoSpa contains 60 mg of vitamin C and fiber. CarbSpa offers a unique mix of ingredients, including white kidney bean extract, vanadium and chromium. H2O Release Spa contains ingredients said to naturally drain excess water. These include buchu, cornsilk, dog grass, couch grass, hydrangea, juniper and uva ursi.

Cautions

• Dietary supplements such as TrimSpa are not regulated by the FDA. Although the ingredients in TrimSpa are derived from natural sources, they can be dangerous if taken in conjunction with other products. For many of the ingredients, there's no scientific evidence they have any weight-reducing effects through appetite suppression. Some users of the products report side effects that include headaches, moodiness and insomnia.