Its Not Your Fault that You're Fat!

[corplinx]

According to a radio ad I heard the other day, it is not your fault that you are fat. Yes, you can eat whole pizzas and drink 2 liters of full calorie soda a day without exercising and not gain weight.

You see, stress is causing you to retain body fat. Not poor diet and lack of exercise.

Cortislim (www.cortislim.com) is the product being hawked. It is an inhibitor that helps block stress so you can lose weight.

This gets better folks, its an herbal remedy! Magnolia Bark!

Check out this red flag from the web site:
"CortiSlim is manufactured in FDA and cGMP certified laboratories with the strictest standards of quality assurance"

Now, I guess the intent here is for the mark to see "FDA" in capital letters. Classic misdirection. Its not FDA regulated since its an herbal remedy but its made in an FDA approved lab?

On the web site when you finally find the ingredient list, its 3 trademark pending names. When you read the fine details, each of these clinical drug sounding names turns out to be unregulated herbal mixes.

If this cortislim web site was an animal, it would go quack quack.

 

[reprise]

Now we sit around and wait for the inevitable post telling us that not everyone who is obese eats too much, exercises too little, etc - that some people are overweight due to medical conditions or treatments (this is true, but it's a fraction of the total number of obese people).

 

[BME]

-not the obligatory reply on the reasons for obesity-

the name of the product, cortislim, suggests that this product would/might act by modulating corticosteroid action in your body ( corticosteroid hormones are indeed involved in stress).
I would be very bad if this is the case, particularly if this product is not fully checked by the FDA, wiht the same rigorous conditions as any (real) drug.

BME

 

[The Don]

Miraculously effective though this product is, according to the FAQ page:

*The statements in this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

To whom would someone report these charlatans ?

 

[bug_girl]

actually, that disclaimer is mandated by the FDA. you can find versions of it on most herbal teas at your local health food store.

If you can show or have a good reason to believe there is a regulated substance in the stuff they are sellling, you can report them to the FDA. Just putting an email in won't do it--you need to call and try to find the enforcement division.

 

[Larspeart]

so, what is the 'science' that they are trying to tie in with? What is the basis for their 'clinical research'?

I ask this because my dad, god love him, was talking my ear off about 'this cool new thing I saw on tv, cortislim!'. I tried to tell him otherwise, but maybe you guys can give me better arguements then 'it won't work, and may hurt you'?

 

[Suezoled]

I ask this because my dad, god love him, was talking my ear off about 'this cool new thing I saw on tv, cortislim!'. I tried to tell him otherwise, but maybe you guys can give me better arguements then 'it won't work, and may hurt you'?

Would you trust a product marketed in such a way as to misdirect a consumer? Would you give your hard earned money to something unregulated, unproven, and potentially life altering in an adverse manner? Would you at least give me the extra cash you would spend on this Cortislim product, as I would at least make sure it goes to feed homeless animals, a definite benefit?

 

[corplinx]

so, what is the 'science' that they are trying to tie in with? What is the basis for their 'clinical research'?

I ask this because my dad, god love him, was talking my ear off about 'this cool new thing I saw on tv, cortislim!'. I tried to tell him otherwise, but maybe you guys can give me better arguements then 'it won't work, and may hurt you'?

Google for cortislim and you will find forums of peopl who buy stuff off infomercials. Their testimonials speak for themselves. (the dont lose any weight)

If it sounds too good to be true, than it probably is. Your dad is too old to be falling for these sorts of scams. You might bring that up.

 

[shecky]

Its Not Your Fault that You're Fat!

Well.... it's not....

Besides, my Mom says I look handsome just the way I am.

 

[BTox]

I like this line:

"CortiSlim has been formulated to provide safe and “clinically effective” levels of all ingredients, but users are cautioned to discontinue use if they experience any undesired side effects."

Note the quotes around clinically effective.

I'm also trying to figure out what those abdominal scans are from - sure doesn't look human to me.


PS - just noticed Dr. Talbott is from one of my alma maters - Rutgers University - ack!

 

[BTox]

-I would be very bad if this is the case, particularly if this product is not fully checked by the FDA, wiht the same rigorous conditions as any (real) drug.

BME

No, it does not fall under FDA jurisdiction as a drug. It's considered a dietary supplement and is only regulated like a food product.

 

[Dancing David]

Bedwetters Charge!

There are biological vulnerability-s to being overweight but that is no excuse for overeating and a sedentary lifestyles.

But no drugs will solve the problem. More heart damage it sounds like.

 

[Samus]

BME: It would be very bad if this is the case, particularly if this product is not fully checked by the FDA, wiht the same rigorous conditions as any (real) drug.

Fortunately, it is probably not effective. Herbal supplements contain ingedients that don't really do anything. It does contain a stunning 170% of the daily recommended intake of Vitamin C. Luckily, our bodies can handle that and will dispose what they don't use, which will be most of it. Methinks the Vitamin C has more to do with feeling better than their proprietary ingredients.

The Don: To whom would someone report these charlatans?

Your elected officials. There is nothing the FDA can do to touch these people, they are allowed to make any claim they want about herbal supplements. Stinks, doesn't it?

 

[Samus]

From the FAQ page:

As with any weight loss program, the amount of weight that you may lose will be based on many factors, such as your dietary intake, your level of exercise, and your stress level. By controlling cortisol levels, blood sugar levels, and overall metabolic rate (also known as “thermogenesis”), CortiSlim addresses the 3 primary metabolic control points that are responsible for weight gain (and the trouble that we all have in losing weight).

You can control your own "thermogenesis" with proper diet, exercise, and attitude (i.e. learn how to deal with stress, and don't create unnecessary stress for yourself).

You can do what this supplement is supposed to do for you, free and with better results.

Edited to add, from the "what can I expect" question:

Suddenly, you'll realize that your clothes are fitting more loosely, even before you've lost a single pound!

Wow! Where do I sign up?

 

[jj]

If this cortislim web site was an animal, it would go quack quack.

It would, at least, be useful then, it could be hung, filled with air, and then roasted, yes?

That site reads very much like some of the audio sites I've pointed out over time. The physics is, well, odd, to say the least.

And, if you CAN eat all you want and lose weight, and it doesn't affect appetitite (and therefore have all sorts of dangerous implications elsewhere), it either seriously interferes with digestion (dangerous!), or it accilerates BMR beyond any sane point (even more dangerous).

So either it doesn't work, or it would seem to be dangerous. Of course, it could also not work and be dangerous at the same time, too.

The one thing that seems unlikely is that it's safe and it works, if for no other reason that such a remedy would be tested and in the medical marketplace so fast your head would spin all the way around.

 

[athon]

Great, just what we need - more reasons for people to naively use a scientific discovery to remove responsibility from themselves.

I've heard it so often - It's not my fault I'm fat, it's just that I've got fat genes!

I then try to explain that while genes can make a huge difference (no pun intended), you have to think of them as tiny factory workers. Some types of worker will convert a lot of things to fat very quickly. Other people have workers that can convert fat to usable energy very quickly. There are many types of workers, but they all have one thing in common - they need the chemicals they convert to start with! If you don't want a worker to store fat, don't give them the fat!

Some people will never look reed-thin, face it. I'm not exactly Mr. Skinny myself. But some people are really obese (fine, their choice maybe) and then say 'can't do nothing about it - it's my genes' while sitting in front of the T.V. and eating a donut.

While 'cut what you eat and move more' might not ever make you into Mr. Universe, it's definately going to make a difference to your health.

Athon

 

[Badger]

From the FAQ page:
You can control your own "thermogenesis" with proper diet, exercise, and attitude (i.e. learn how to deal with stress, and don't create unnecessary stress for yourself).

You can do what this supplement is supposed to do for you, free and with better results.

Edited to add, from the "what can I expect" question:
Wow! Where do I sign up?

But that's so hard! I want to be thin NOW, and without any effort! AND I want to eat, and eat, and eat, and eat, and click through the channels, and eat, and eat, and won't someone give me a lot of money for doing nothing, and eat and eat, and click through the channels, and eat and eat, and......

Frig!!!

 

[Dr. Imago]

Miraculously effective though this product is, according to the FAQ page:

*The statements in this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

To whom would someone report these charlatans ?

The above statement is mandated by the woefully inept DSHEA laws. If there is indeed a "structure/function" claim being made by this product and, despite the disclaimer, it is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent a disease, then enforcement of the violation of the DSHEA laws would fall under the FTC - not the FDA.

You can report these guys on the FTC website at:

https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01

For more general reading on structure/function limitations in advertising, go here:

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/dietsupp.htm

-TT

 

[RSLancastr]

From the FAQ page:
You can control your own "thermogenesis" with proper diet, exercise, and attitude (i.e. learn how to deal with stress, and don't create unnecessary stress for yourself).

Unfortunately, this is far from easy. And for some, much more difficult than for others. Whether there is a genetic component to this or not, I don't know, nor do I care.

As to Cortislim, I think it can be safely categorized using this fairly reliable rule of thumb: It advertises on Art Bell's show, therefore it must be crap.

 

[Rolfe]

Whether there is a genetic component to this or not, I don't know, nor do I care.

The most recent research I've seen suggests that the genetic componemt is involved with appetite much more than metabolism. Do the signals which are supposed to tell your brain that you've had enough actually work properly? It seems to be a very complex mechanism though, and if there's a "magic bullet" I don't think they've found it yet. (Though I've heard of a plant-derived product from somwhere in the south of Africa that was looking promising in tests - I've forgotten the name, anyone help me out here?)

Rolfe.