Move over grapefruit diet. The latest in exotic fad diets appear to be charcoal, Botox and a host of others. But steer clear, for these can be damaging, warns Kavita Devgan
We have all gone through weight loss trends like the cabbage soup diet, grapefruit diet, milkshake diet, baby food diet, Fletcherism diet (which advocates chewing each mouthful of food at least 32 times, or until it takes a liquid form) and even stuff like ear stapling and eating cotton balls before meals. New weight loss trends are constantly being sold to people with the promise of quick riddance from excess pounds. These are designed to feed the get-me-thin-quick mindset. Very often, these fad diets not only fail, but even cause serious damage to the body.
Activated charcoal diet
You read that right. Charcoal. The grapevine is abuzz about the detoxifying properties of activated charcoal (negatively charged carbon treated with oxygen). The idea being that when activated, charcoal functions as a sponge, absorbing toxins and poisons that may be lining the digestive track. 'Activated' charcoal is available in many forms — liquefied versions to powder, pills and even as part of detox juices. There are claims that it helps lower cholesterol, has anti-ageing properties and cures everything from jet lag to hangovers, and delivers weight loss. Unfortunately, these are just wellness fairy tales. Don't fall for it.
More reasons to avoid
There is no scientific evidence that 'activated' charcoal is good for the human body. Activated charcoal does not absorb specific substances. It cannot tell the difference between sucking up nutrients and toxins, and so will absorb anything in your gut — good or bad — and may even meddle with medication that you might be taking. The known immediate side-effects include black tongue, black stools, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation.
hCG diet
This one began in the 1950s, when a British physician, ATW Simeons, suggested that adhering to a 500-calorie-a-day diet and getting daily injections of the hormone human choriogonadotropin (hCG), produced in early pregnancy, promote weight loss. The diet seems to be gaining traction of late but this diet can lead to headaches, blood clots and depression.
More reasons to avoid
If you go on a 500-calories-a-day diet for 8 weeks, you'll naturally lose a lot of weight. And hcG will have played no role in it. It is simply a no-carbs diet. It is difficult to stick to a 500-calorie diet for so long. Besides, it is not advisable to have 500 calories for as long. It'll leave your metabolism in a mess and drag your BMR levels so low that it won't be possible to bounce back. You will also lose a lot of protein, and your vitamns B and C, iron and calcium levels will decline. Electrolytes will go haywire with the added risk of gallstones and fluid retention. None of this will be worth any of the lost pounds.
Botox cure
Based on animal studies, some experts are now advocating injecting botulinum toxin A (BTA), popularly known as Botox, into the stomach. The experts believe that botox helps increase the feeling of fullness and thus aids in weight reduction.
More reasons to avoid
A study published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology reported that while the injection slowed movement of food through the stomach, this did not cause weight loss. Researchers enrolled 60 obese patients in a 24-week, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial to compare the effects of BTA to placebo (sugar-coated pills). They wrote that they would not recommend gastric Botox injections to people who want to lose weight as it has no benefits.
So, what is the best way to lose weight? Eat less and get active. Think of it as an equation: eat fewer calories + increase activity = weight loss.
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