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• With Mayo Clinic nutritionist

  Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

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  Biography of

  Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

  Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

  ---

  As a specialty editor for the Food & Nutrition Center, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.

  A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.

  She is active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in pediatrics at Mayo Clinic Rochester and nutrition education related to the physiology and recommended intakes for premature infants.

  Other areas of interest include breast milk and formula safety, neonatal feeding, and nutrition for breast-feeding mothers.

  She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.

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Question

Lipovarin: An effective weight-loss supplement?

I'd like to lose some weight, and I'm thinking about trying a diet pill called Lipovarin. Can you tell me if it really works?

Answer

from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

There's no evidence that Lipovarin — a popular, nonprescription diet pill — promotes weight loss. In fact, this product may actually pose serious health risks.

Lipovarin contains the ingredient synephrine. Synephrine is a stimulant similar to ephedrine, which is found in the herb ephedra. Although safety concerns prompted the removal of ephedra products from the U.S. market a number of years ago, the risks are still present. Many manufacturers simply substitute synephrine in products that used to contain ephedra. These products, including Lipovarin, likely have the same serious health risks as ephedra products — including seizure, stroke and heart attack.

Remember, there are no shortcuts to permanent weight loss. The foundation of every successful weight-loss program is a healthy diet and regular physical activity. To lose weight and keep it off permanently, enjoy a variety of healthier foods and include physical activity in your daily routine.

• See Also

• Alli weight-loss pill: Does it work?
• Weight-loss drugs: Can a prescription help you lose weight?
• Over-the-counter weight-loss pills: Do they work?
• Gastric bypass surgery: Who is it for?
• Caffeine: Can it help me lose weight?
• Ear stapling for weight loss: Does it work?
• Coconut oil and weight loss: Does it work?
• Vitamin B-12 injections for weight loss: Do they work?
• FucoThin: Can it help burn fat?
• HCG injections: Good for weight loss?
• Apple cider vinegar for weight loss: Does it work?
• Protein shakes: Do they increase weight loss?
• CortiSlim: Do cortisol blockers increase weight loss?
• Bitter orange weight-loss supplements: Do they work?
• Phentermine: Can it help me lose weight?
• Hoodia: An effective appetite suppressant?
• Water retention: Are there any natural diuretics?
• Lipodissolve: Does it get rid of unwanted fat?
• Alli weight-loss pill: Does it work?
• Phentermine: Can it help me lose weight?

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