Herbalife has a complete line of nutritional health merchandise ranging from skin care products that target “outer nutrition” to diet pills, or “weight loss enhancers” as they prefer to refer to them. Let’s take a closer look at three Herbalife products marketed for weight loss: Total Control, Snack Defense, and Thermo-Bond.

Total Control Herbal Supplement

Total Control is a blend of 14 herbs marketed as “a powerful herbal enhancer for more effective weight loss.” The main ingredients and their intended effects are:

• Green tea extract to boost metabolism
• Yerba mate to boost metabolism and suppress appetite
• Ginger to calm your stomach

This herbal diet supplement contains 84 mg of caffeine, which is approximately equivalent to one cup of coffee. Three capsules are taken daily with meals, so that brings the caffeine equivalent to three cups of coffee per day. To reduce jittery side effects, you may want to limit your dietary caffeine consumption.

The safety precautions reported by Herbalife are mostly due to the caffeine content. Individuals with high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, or caffeine sensitivities should consult their doctor before taking this product.

Herbalife only makes general claims about the effectiveness of Total Control, saying it “promotes weight loss, boosts metabolism, and builds energy.” There are no outrageous claims of quick weight loss and the general claims about the effectiveness are clearly marked as not being evaluated by the FDA.

A one month supply of Total Control herbal diet pills costs $25 - $33. Going for a walk “promotes weight loss, boosts metabolism, and builds energy” too. For free.


Snack Defense Weight-Management Supplement

Snack Defense is a blend of natural ingredients promoted as “a weight-management supplement to control the urge to snack.” The main active ingredients and their purported effects are:

• Garcinia cambogia to control appetite
• Chromium to maintain blood sugar levels
• Gymnema sylvestre to maintain blood sugar levels

Snack Defense contains no added caffeine. The product claims to help maintain blood sugar levels within the normal range, therefore, reducing the urge to snack. So, basically, it is an appetite suppressant.

The only safety precaution listed by Herbalife is that the product should not be used by pregnant or lactating women. Taken twice a day, this herbal diet pill costs $14 - $23 per month.


Thermo-Bond Natural Weight Loss Supplement

Thermo-Bond is a blend of natural plant fibers marketed to “help control fat absorption and weight-loss support when on a calorie-controlled diet while engaging in moderate exercise.” The main ingredient is dietary fiber from natural sources including cellulose, apple, acacia, oat, and citrus.

Hebalife claims Thermo-Bond reduces the absorption of consumed fats by speeding the passage of food through the digestive tract. Not surprisingly, the side effects of this dietary supplement are all related to digestive issues, such as diarrhea and abdominal pain.

Each tablet contains 273 mg of dietary fiber. A medium apple with the skin contains 3.3 g of dietary fiber. If you do the math, each pill provides the dietary fiber equivalent of 1/12 of an apple.

Herbalife suggests taking up to six pills a day. Six pills a day, the dietary fiber equivalent of half an apple a day, costs approximately $30 per month. Those are some expensive apples.