Most people dislike bumps and indentations on their bodies and prefer to be as smooth as they possibly can. Additionally, because hope springs eternal, much has been written about cellulite and its causes and many treatments have been promoted. Some of these therapies include:
A low-fat diet: Eating in a healthy manner is always a good idea and a low-fat diet is usually recommended as part of a weight maintenance lifestyle. However, the notion that you can shrink a localized fat lump or smooth out a dimple by eating less fat makes as little sense when it comes to cellulite as it does when it comes to flabby thighs or "love handles."
Dietary supplements: Several of these products have been marketed and contain a variety of ingredients such as ginkgo biloba, sweet clover, grape seed bioflavinoids, bladderwrack extract, oil of evening primrose, fish oil, and soy lecithin. These preparations claim to have positive effects on the body such as boosting metabolism, improving circulation, protecting against cell damage, and breaking down fats. Such claims are difficult to evaluate as is the case with similar assertions made on behalf of many supplements and alternative therapies. Concepts such as "metabolism," "circulation," or "cell damage" cannot be easily measured on an objective basis to determine whether or not any improvement has been achieved. Additionally, because these products are sold as dietary supplements and not as drugs, they are not subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They are therefore exempt from meeting the scientific standards for both safety and effectiveness that are applied to drugs.
Furthermore, there are no valid clinical studies to support the use of these dietary supplements for the treatment of cellulite. Studies that have been conducted have not demonstrated any value of these supplements.
For example, one product containing a mixture of herbs marketed as a "cure" for cellulite was tested to see whether it had any effect on cellulite, body weight, fat content, or the circumference of the thighs and hips. No beneficial changes were found when results of those taking the dietary supplement were compared to those taking the placebo (sugar pill). The only significant changes were an increase in cellulite and body weight in the majority of women who took the "miracle cure" product.
A low-fat diet: Eating in a healthy manner is always a good idea and a low-fat diet is usually recommended as part of a weight maintenance lifestyle. However, the notion that you can shrink a localized fat lump or smooth out a dimple by eating less fat makes as little sense when it comes to cellulite as it does when it comes to flabby thighs or "love handles."
Dietary supplements: Several of these products have been marketed and contain a variety of ingredients such as ginkgo biloba, sweet clover, grape seed bioflavinoids, bladderwrack extract, oil of evening primrose, fish oil, and soy lecithin. These preparations claim to have positive effects on the body such as boosting metabolism, improving circulation, protecting against cell damage, and breaking down fats. Such claims are difficult to evaluate as is the case with similar assertions made on behalf of many supplements and alternative therapies. Concepts such as "metabolism," "circulation," or "cell damage" cannot be easily measured on an objective basis to determine whether or not any improvement has been achieved. Additionally, because these products are sold as dietary supplements and not as drugs, they are not subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They are therefore exempt from meeting the scientific standards for both safety and effectiveness that are applied to drugs.
Furthermore, there are no valid clinical studies to support the use of these dietary supplements for the treatment of cellulite. Studies that have been conducted have not demonstrated any value of these supplements.
For example, one product containing a mixture of herbs marketed as a "cure" for cellulite was tested to see whether it had any effect on cellulite, body weight, fat content, or the circumference of the thighs and hips. No beneficial changes were found when results of those taking the dietary supplement were compared to those taking the placebo (sugar pill). The only significant changes were an increase in cellulite and body weight in the majority of women who took the "miracle cure" product.
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