These Weird, Dangerous Diets Could Kill You [#Infographic]

I’ve written previously about my own successful weight loss, and I was blown away by LabDoor.com’s new post and infographic describing some of the most dangerous diets out there.

LabDoor is an online review service for consumers. The company scientifically tests supplements in an FDA-registered laboratory, checking for purity and label accuracy and offering grades and rankings based on the results. Here’s LabDoor’s infographic along with a summary of their picks for the most dangerous diets.

Infographic Courtesy of LabDoor.com

Weight Loss Supplements

Weight loss remedies have been around for centuries, with more lightly regulated “supplements” coming on the market regularly. Those pills you can buy online or in drugstores can contain dangerous ingredients. The FDA cautions against the use of many diet supplements, noting that just because a product is on a store shelf doesn’t mean it’s safe or that it works as advertised.

The FDA doesn’t need to approve supplements for sale, and the agency has received numerous complaints over the years. Reported harmful effects from weight loss supplements include pounding or racing heart, stroke, increased blood pressure, seizure and even death.

The FDA issued over 30 public alerts and recalled seven tainted weight loss products in 2014 alone. You can find the FDA’s online list of dangerous weight loss products at this link.

While not included in LabDoor’s list, prescription weight loss drugs have their own potential for awful side effects.

Strange Food Diets

LabDoor.com includes the Grapefruit Diet, the Caffeine Diet, the Cabbage Soup Diet and (believe it or not) the Cotton Ball Diet on their dangerous diets list. The Grapefruit Diet has many variations, all of which are based on the unproven claim that grapefruit helps burn fat.

Grapefruit diets tend to be so low in calories that they can cause malnutrition. Also, grapefruit interacts with nearly half of all medications, including statins, causing severe possible effects such as permanent kidney damage, heart problems and gastrointestinal bleeding.

Despite sounding downright disgusting, some YouTube videos and websites promote eating cotton balls to stave off hunger. It seems obvious that eating cotton balls isn’t a good idea. They can cause serious problems, including choking and life-threatening intestinal blockages.

Numerous weight loss supplements, including those touting green tea extract, contain caffeine, sometimes in alarmingly high amounts. While large percentages of people enjoy drinks containing caffeine in moderation, large amounts of the drug can cause some scary side effects.

The Cabbage Soup Diet, embraced by celebrities such as Dolly Parton, may produce some short-term weight loss, according to those who have tried it. However, its ultra-low calorie count and super restrictive food choices make it a very poor choice for long-term dieting.

Master Cleanse

“Cleanse” diets can involve salt water, special lemonade recipes, laxative teas and/or maple syrup and have been touted by celebrities like Beyonce. However, people who’ve tried master cleanse diets say they feel miserable while following such plans, sometimes called “detox” diets.

Experts warn of dire side effects, including vitamin deficiencies, headaches, fatigue, loss of muscle tissue and severe diarrhea. Frequent bathroom trips can lead to painful issues of the bottom as well as dehydration.

How About You?

Obviously, there’s no quick fix for weight loss. Have you tried to lose weight? What works for you?

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