Diet Pills: Mischa Barton's A Fan But Nutritionists Warn Against Copying

She's not the first celebrity to suggest that diet pills are the answer to fast weight loss.

Mischa Barton's 'mushroom-based' slimming aids are the latest in a long line of miracle cures that promise to help us lose weight and get trim without the effort.

But if they sound too good to be true, it's because they are.

Poor Mischa's weight has yo-yo'd since her OC days but though she claims to have lost 4lbs in a week thanks to her mushroom pills, she's obviously being paid to promote them, so let's take it with a pinch of salt.

"I use Proactol XS as it has no side effects, is sourced naturally and lets me manage my weight safely. So far I’ve lost around 4lbs a week by taking the supplement," she says.

Last year the Apprentice's Luisa Zissman promoted Raspberry Ketones as her secret diet aid, while Michelle Heaton blames long-term use of diet pills for giving her heart problems.

A quick internet search and you can find everything from Slim Bombs to T5 Black Fat Burner to Grenade Thermo Detonator.

So far so scary sounding. But as well as the more dramatically-named option, there's plenty on sale in your local chemist and many say they're 'totally natural' - so safe right?

Not necessarily.

Nutritionist and Women's Health Expert Marilyn Glenville, whose book Fat Around the Middle looks into the various reasons and solutions women put on and can't lose weight, says they're a short term solution that will cost you money and your health.

"Not everything labelled ‘natural’ is necessary good for you!" she says.

"Just as with surgical ‘solutions’, taking pills as a quick fix means you aren’t really getting to grips with the behaviour patterns or food choices that most likely lie beneath your weight problem.

"Dieters will constantly look for a crutch to lean on, an outside influence to boost their flagging willpower.

It’s perfectly understandable but, the more you diet and want gimmicks to help you lose weight, the more big business will try to give them to you. They make money while you fail."

She adds: "You would be far better off learning to eat properly. And don't forget all drugs carry some risk of side effects and so do some of these ‘natural’ products, so why take the risk?

What do slimming pills do?

There are a number of ways slimming pills claim to work. Some speed up your metabolism (naturally!) to help you burn fat, while others work by stopping the body absorbing fat from your food.

"Those that claim to remove fat and cholesterol from food (like Mischa's new-found fave) contain chitosan," explains Marilyn. "But we need fat as it lubricates the joints and skin, as well as being a vital component of every human cell.

"Your body needs them to balance hormones, insulate nerve cells, keep the skin and arteries supple and to keep the body warm.  "Plus, by removing the fat, you end up losing fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D and E from the body."

Other ‘slimming’ products can contain stimulants like ephedra, guarana and caffeine which can have side effects including strokes and heart attacks. Or lower level problems such as irritability, anxiety, skin reactions, trembling and sweating can arise.

Do it properly

It can be tempting to reach for a pill to solve your weight loss problems but at best they offer limited short term weight loss and at worst they can be life-threatening.

Instead, you're better off turning to vitamins and essential nutrients to help balance your blood sugar and give you a base to lose weight safely and sustainably - and then keep it off. There's no point dropping four pounds in one week only to put five the next.

For sustained weight loss, make sure you're eating a healthy diet full of vegeables, good fats (avocado, nuts) and lean proteins (fish, chicken, eggs). Eat a moderate amount of complex carbohydrates (brown bread, pasta, rice) and fruit (whole rather than in juices or smoothies) and keep your consumption of sugary foods such as cakes and biscuits low, as well as drinking plenty of water and exercising regularly.

Vitamins that can help with sustained weight loss, blood sugar and reduce cravings include magnesium, chromium and zinc, as well as the B vitamins and C. You may be able to get these from you diet but if you're not sure it's worth doing your research first rather than taking everying at once.

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