Some fibers appear especially helpful with weight loss, including glucomannan 1 and Psyllium , which is discussed below. Weight loss formulas generally are more harmful than good. The main component of many of these is Ephedra or ma huang. While it does encourage weight loss, it also can cause severe health problems. These problems include high blood pressure , insomnia , heart arrhythmias, thyroid disorders, and even heart failure.
Ephedra acts as a stimulant, with amphetamine-like effects, including addiction.
In 1997, the FDA received so many complaints about Ephedra that it launched an investigation. While they did not ban or regulate Ephedra at that time, they did issue a warning that it could cause severe damage to the body if misused. In 1999, a new investigation into Ephedra and ephedra-based weight loss products was launched. The results are still pending. Rather than using Ephedra or another drug to speed weight loss, a slower, more healthy approach is recommended.