Weight loss supplements

[TearItDown]

Here's the story. I'm real short on cash, however a research program is offering a decent amount (a few months rent to me) in exchange for testing out their new diet pills. I'm currently underweight because of my metabolism. As part of the study, I pretty much have to lose 15 lbs. I currently weigh 120-140 (it fluctuates a lot) and I'm 5'10. How dangerous is this for me?

 

[girlygrrl]

If you're not overweight I'd be really careful about participating in a weight-loss supplement program. Seems like a recipe for anorexia which is very unhealthy.

Are there not other studies you could participate in besides this one?

 

[TearItDown]

I don't want to shut down your advice, because I really appreciate it, but I don't think I could possibly become anorexic. I enjoy eating, it's one of my favorite things to do. Not eating would drive me nuts. Some times when I've taken stims I get annoyed because I wasn't hungry.

There is another study I'm also participating in, one for quitting smoking. The diet pill one pays 10x what the smoking one does though.

 

[girlygrrl]

Well if it's worth the money to you to risk your health, I think there are easier ways to make ends meet though.

Quitting smoking may pay better than you think in the long run, cigarettes are very expensive and you'll save a lot on medical bills as time goes on, but that probably isn't going to pay your rent.

 

[TakeItAll]

Now I know many people don't like the BMI calculation but in situations like this I think it has some validity. Your weight already fluctuates between the low end of normal/healthy and actually being a bit underweight.

Now like all big classification/generalisations you may still be quite healthy despite being underweight at times. There are risks associated with being too thin. So in my opinion it would be foolishly risky to participate in a study too that requires you to lose more weight.

Just to carry on a bit more I think the selection criteria of this study are incredibly stupid if they are recruiting patients with normal range BMI in any case as the risks to anyone in that range are far outweighed by any potential benefit.

Can I ask if this is a legitimate pharmaceutical company with ethics policies etc or a supplement company or something similar.

The last point is that many weight loss products have adverse reactions. The most recently found was Reductil (sibutramine) that made it through all the phase 3 and 4 safety and tolerability trials but once it was released onto the market and many more people were taking the drug it was found that there was an increased risk of stroke attached to taking the drug.

 

[TearItDown]

Well if it's worth the money to you to risk your health, I think there are easier ways to make ends meet though.

Quitting smoking may pay better than you think in the long run, cigarettes are very expensive and you'll save a lot on medical bills as time goes on, but that probably isn't going to pay your rent.

Give me another alternative to making 1500 in one week. I don't think there is an easier way on the planet to make ends meet while unemployed, aside from doing anything illegal. Alll I know so far is that it's a "big diet supplement group conducting a compensated research trial."