When it comes to losing weight, it seems that for some, common sense is tossed out the window and they will try most anything to slim down.

There will always be ways of losing weight that are on the fringe of things, but these six can cause you harm or worse.
Labdoor.com
But the reality of this is it opens the door for weight loss plans and ideas that at best don’t work and on the other end can be downright dangerous.

The firm Labdoor, which has been labeled the “consumer reports of the supplement world” by the internet business publication Serious Startups, works to bring a bit of clarity to the supplement industry and in this case those used for weight loss. Added to this are trends that Labdoor has noted as possibly causing great harm and even death.

The following are the six weight loss trends, ideas or perhaps better referred to as insane ideas that some people are trying in an effort to lose weight. Ultimately the best plan for those looking to shed some pounds is to visit a reputable doctor who can then direct them to sources offer proven methods and which are safe.

The following are what Labdoor refers to as the six most dangerous ways to lose weight.

1. Unverified Weight Loss Pills

Research undertaken by Labdoor has found there are over 300 weight loss, sexual enhancement and body building products on the market that are cited as dangerous by the FDA. It was also found that over 23,000 emergency room visits take place each year because of unsafe supplements. Diet pills have been sold since the late 1800’s despite some being toxic and having caused the deaths of users. It all comes down to if it sounds too good to be true, odds are it is.

Risks: Some of these pills have caused stroke, liver injury, kidney failure, heart palpitations, seizures, and even death.

After diet pills comes the diets themselves ranging from odd to what most could consider insane.

2. The Grapefruit Diet

It was in the 1930’s that the grapefruit diet came onto the scene, Labdoor reports. The logic behind the diet is that there are special enzymes in grapefruit that help burn fat. What was not known then was the fact that grapefruit interacts with 43 percent of all medications causing the efficacy of the drugs to sky rocket. This is why there are warning not to eat grapefruit when taking many drugs on the market. In some cases, the drugs will not work as intended and in others there is so much of the drug released faster than intended, over dosing is a possibility.

Labdoor found that with the combination of grapefruit and medication severe effect such as arrhythmias, gastrointestinal bleeding and kidney damage can result.

Then there is the acidity of the grapefruit which can cause stomach upset and hyper acidity in many people. For those who are focusing their diet totally on grapefruit, needed vitamins and minerals are missing and malnutrition is a real possibility.

Humans do not live on grapefruit alone.

3. The Cotton Ball Diet (warning; extremely dangerous)

This is perhaps one of the strangest diets that has ever taken hold. Yes, cotton balls are ingested in an effort to stop hunger. This is very plainly insane. There is not much to say about this other than it is crazy. Eating non-food items to fill up the stomach, items that can literally kill a person makes no sense what so ever.

According to Labdoor not only does this practice pose a threat of causing intestinal blockages and not to mention choking on the cotton ball, there are psychological implications to this. Those with eating disorders willing to take such an odd step as eating cotton balls should truly seek professional assistance.

Risks: Choking, malnutrition, increased risk for eating disorders, life-threatening intestinal obstruction.

4. The Caffeine Diet

Ok, lots of people drink a lot of coffee but trying to lose weight by boosting caffeine levels in the body is asking for trouble.

First off, just how jumpy does a person want to be and how wound up would they have to be to lose even a small amount of fat. Sure, two cups of coffee can boost a person’s metabolism enough to burn 14kcal and hour, but that is only in people who are accustomed to drinking coffee or as some do, take green tea extracts.

Not only will you end up wound up like a top, but it can cause real problems in some people. According to the research done by Labdoor, some of the risks can be life threatening. Another thing to keep in mind is that caffeine is a diuretic and causes the body to purge fluids.

Risks: Stomach ulcers, accelerated bone loss, arrhythmias, muscle tremors, cardiac arrest.

5. The Master Cleanse

This one goes back to the 1940’s being introduced by Stanley Burroughs. According to Labdoor, celebrities like Beyoncé have made it popular once again. Solutions such as salt water, laxative tea and a “lemonade” made with lemon juice, maple syrup, and cyan pepper are used to “cleanse” the body.

You may drop a bit of weight when your body “cleanses” itself, but according to Labdoor there is nothing to show there is any long term weight-loss. And there are risks involved in taking such a step.

Risks: Mood swings, nausea, lean muscle loss, suppressed immunity, heart palpitations, and low blood pressure.

6. The Cabbage Soup Diet

Finally, if you have not cleaned yourself out enough with a “Master Cleanse” then perhaps the cabbage soup diet will do the job.

This diet began in the early 1900’s and has once again returned, Labdoor research shows. The whole idea is to limit the intake of food to 1,000 calories a day of, cabbage soup. Why someone would want to do this is not clear, but the weight loss that one does see is mainly from the water flushed from the body.

As natural as this seems, cabbage soup diets do have risks, other than frequent trips to the restroom.

Risks: Stomach ulcers, accelerated bone loss, arrhythmia, muscle tremors, cardiac arrest.

For more information on this and other health issues, head to the Labdoor website where there is a considerable body of information on supplements and other issues. Labdoor is an independent firm that tests health products and though the firm does offer items for sell, the testing done is undertaken by private FDA labs and Labdoor has no connection to any of the firms whose products they test.