A post has been shared on social media claiming that slim patches can help you lose weight. Let us go through this article to verify the facts of the claims made in this post.
Claim: Slim patches and weight loss patches are effective for weight loss.
fact: A patch is a transdermal method of delivering drugs to the body. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) states:It does not cause significant weight loss when worn or applied to the skin. Therefore, weight loss claims such as patches, creams, lotions, wraps, body belts, and earrings are false.Studies on the efficacy of transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) are also in the early stages of confirming the efficacy of TDDS in treating obesity.So the claim made in the post is error.
Before learning about the effectiveness of slim patches to aid weight loss, it is essential to have a general understanding of patches and the methods employed to deliver drugs to the human body.
Transdermal medicine
Transdermal drug delivery (TDD) is an alternative to oral and injection-based drug delivery. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), ‘TTransdermal formulations are administered to the skin, where the drug penetrates the systemic circulation and is delivered to sites of action throughout the body.These transdermal drug patches are applied to the skin like a bandage. A nicotine patch is an example of a transdermal drug used by people trying to quit smoking.
Efficacy of slim/weight loss patches to aid weight loss.
According to today’s medical news,Weight loss patches contain various ingredients that manufacturers claim to help people lose weight. Patches are believed to work by releasing active ingredients to the surface of the skin from an implanted delivery system. The skin must then absorb the active ingredient particles so that they enter the person’s bloodstream.
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) states:Weight loss is an internal metabolic process. It does not cause significant weight loss when worn or applied to the skin.So weight loss claims patchcreams, lotions, wraps, body belts, earrings, etc. are false‘ They also warned consumers not to fall prey to ads that claim the patch can help you lose weight.
According to RO Health GuideWeight loss patches often contain ingredients that are being studied as oral supplements for weight loss. But that doesn’t mean the ingredients have the same weight loss effect when used in patch form (.Pastor, 2015). At least one clinical trial evaluated the slimming effect of topical application of natural ingredients, but the results were not particularly promising (.Berardesca, 2011). ‘
According to research, Currently, no transdermal drugs have been reported to treat obesity in humans. In general, TDDS for the treatment of obesity in humans needs further research to investigate the efficacy of the drug on the human body….”
Several other articles stating that there is no evidence to prove the effectiveness of weight loss patches to aid weight loss can be read here, here and here. , it can be concluded that it is not a proven method for weight loss.
In summary, there is no evidence to prove that weight loss patches (transdermal) are effective in burning fat.
