SynthesisObesity (Silver Spring, Md.)2021
A Systematic Review of Dietary Supplements and Alternative Therapies for Weight Loss.
Synthesis in Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 37 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
37 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 70 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of spirulina supplementation alone or with exercise on cardiometabolic health in overweight and obese adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Effect of Chitosan Supplementation and Lifestyle Changes on Health and Gut Microbiota in Icelandic Females With Obesity.Molecular nutrition & food research · 2026Trial
- Addressing Susceptibility to Non-Prescription Substances for Weight Loss Among Immigrant Hispanic College Students: A Pilot Study.Journal of immigrant and minority health · 2025Trial
- Bitter hop nutraceutical stimulates fat mass loss while preserving muscle mass in a cohort of individuals with overweight or obesity receiving diet and exercise advice.Obesity pillars · 2026Article
- Severe acute pancreatitis and toxic hepatitis after solitary dietary supplement ingestion: A case report.Medicine · 2026Article
- Impact of Adherence to a Plant-Based Residential Lifestyle Medicine Program on Cardiometabolic Disease Risk Factors.Nutrients · 2026Observational
- Not all 'natural' is safe: A naturally occurring glucagon-like peptide-1 mimetic associated with drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome.JAAD case reports · 2026Article
- Vitamin D Supplementation for Steatotic Liver Disease: an Updated Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-analysis of Randomized and Nonrandomized Interventional Studies.Current developments in nutrition · 2026Review
- Safety and effectiveness of diet and detox teas for weight loss: a mini-review.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Review
- 8. Obesity and Weight Management for the Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2026.Diabetes care · 2026Review
- Article
- Perceptions and experiences of community pharmacists about weight loss dietary supplements: a qualitative study.Journal of pharmaceutical health care and sciences · 2025Article
- Adipo-Modulation by Turmeric Bioactive Phenolic Components: From Curcuma Plant to Effects.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- The regulation on the use of supplements for weight control: Case studies from Australia, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom.Health policy OPEN · 2025Review
- Analysis of Mercury Concentration in Dietary Supplements Supporting Weight Loss and Health Risk Assessment.Nutrients · 2025Article
- The Use of Complementary and Alternative Treatments in Adolescent Obesity: A Narrative Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Review
- Article
- 8. Obesity and Weight Management for the Prevention and Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2025.Diabetes care · 2025Review
- Strategies for minimizing muscle loss during use of incretin-mimetic drugs for treatment of obesity.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
22 authors at 15 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveDietary supplements and alternative therapies are commercialized as a panacea for obesity/weight gain as a result of the minimal regulatory requirements in demonstrating efficacy. These products may indirectly undermine the value of guideline-driven obesity treatments. Included in this study is a systematic review of the literature of purported dietary supplements and alternative therapies for weight loss.
methodsA systematic review was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of dietary supplements and alternative therapies for weight loss in participants aged ≥18 years. Searches of Medline (PubMed), Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Embase (Ovid) were conducted. Risk of bias and results were summarized qualitatively.
resultsOf the 20,504 citations retrieved in the database search, 1,743 full-text articles were reviewed, 315 of which were randomized controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of 14 purported dietary supplements, therapies, or a combination thereof. Risk of bias and sufficiency of data varied widely. Few studies (n = 52 [16.5%]) were classified as low risk and sufficient to support efficacy. Of these, only 16 (31%) noted significant pre/post intergroup differences in weight (range: 0.3-4.93 kg).
conclusionsDietary supplements and alternative therapies for weight loss have a limited high-quality evidence base of efficacy. Practitioners and patients should be aware of the scientific evidence of claims before recommending use.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.