Can You Spray Yourself Thin?

The Editors of WOMEN'S HEALTH
A new mouth spray claims to help you feel less hungry—but does it work?
A new mouth spray claims to help you feel less hungry—but does it work?

By Stephanie Castillo
In the latest sounds too good to be true news, a new appetite suppressant called Spray Thin promises to trigger a brain reaction that makes you feel fuller faster. But can spritzing actually decrease your hunger levels? Not so fast.

While our sense of smell does modify our appetite, the effect varies from person to person, says Brian B. Quebbemann, M.D., director of the N.E.W. Program weight-loss clinic in Los Angeles. "Spray Thin is just another gimmick in a long line of gimmicks to be peddled as an answer to obesity," he says.

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What about the clinical study that found overweight participants using Spray Thin lost an average of 33 pounds in six months? "It's a terrible study," says Quebbemann. "The people taking the scent knew whether they were taking the product or the placebo. Also, the doctor running the test knew who was taking his product and who was not. No reputable scientist would ever make any substantial conclusions from such a study."

That's not to say appetite suppressants never work. In fact, Quebbemann says using certain appetite suppressants for a short period of time--say, a few months--in combination with making healthy lifestyle changes could jumpstart weight loss.

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Even so, your best bet for losing weight is still the usual suspects: increased daily activity and a healthy diet, says Quebbemann. "Eating something you like that's high in protein and low in simple sugar, and is also crunchy or chewy, is a good way to satisfy your appetite without packing in a lot of calories."

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