Dr. Oz Sparks Debate About Raspberry Ketone Supplements
By Margaret Badore for DietsInReview.com
Last week Dr. Oz sparked a major debate by endorsing raspberry ketone as a "miracle fat burner" to aid with weight loss. Weight loss expert Lisa Lynn appeared as a guest to discuss how raspberry ketones had helped her clients lose weight. Dr. Oz further illustrated how the diet supplement worked by placing air balloons meant to represent fat cells in liquid nitrogen causing the balloons to shrivel up.
As the name suggests, raspberry ketone is a compound present in red raspberries and is on the USDA's list of ingredients that are generally recognized as safe. It gives the berries their aroma, but is naturally present in very low levels. As stated on the Dr. Oz Show, it would take 90 pounds of fresh berries to get the equivalent amount of ketone that's found in the supplement form. What the show didn't mention is that due to this natural scarcity, the raspberry ketone found in supplements is usually synthesized industrially.
However, the research behind the claims that raspberry ketones help with weight loss is scant. There have been two small studies showing laboratory mice are less likely to gain weight when adding raspberry ketones to their diet. However, there have been no placebo-controlled studies of humans.
Raspberry ketones affect the metabolism through two mechanisms by increasing the levels of two hormones, norepinerphrine and adiponectin. Increasing the norepinephrine causes the body's temperature to rise, causing the body to burn more fat. "Raspberry ketones also increase levels of adiponectin, which is a hormone that helps with lowering glucose levels," explains Dr. Sarah G. Khan, DietsInReview.com's resident pharmacist. "The less circulating glucose, the less likely it will be converted into a stored energy source like glycogen. Adiponectin is found least frequently in obese people and may have a possible role to play in insulin resistance and diabetes."
In other words, raspberry ketone is a stimulant, like so many other weight loss supplements. Although Dr. Oz's guest described raspberry ketone has having "no side effects," it may increase heart rate and affect blood pressure. As well, Dr. Khan cautions of the raspberry ketone side effects that could impact the thyroid. Other common side effects of stimulants include difficulty sleeping and agitation. Additionally, Dr. Khan says that the supplement may interact with a number of different medications, and would not recommend the supplement to anyone with diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma or who is taking antidepressants. She suggests that anyone with a serious medical condition consult with a doctor before taking raspberry ketones.
At then end of the segment, Dr. Oz does add the caveat that the supplement should be combined with a sensible diet and regular exercise, which in many ways sounds like a far cry from the "miracle" introduced. There's also no mention of how long it's safe to continue taking this supplement. "I would think that these products would only be effective for a short period of time and would eventually have to be discontinued," says Dr. Khan. "If weight loss is achieved weight maintenance would required a healthy diet and exercise."
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