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It's easy to get answers about health and nutrition! Just send your question by email to [email protected] and Dr. Harlan will respond to selected questions of general interest. Answers will be posted in the Ask Dr. Gourmet newsletter (sign up now!) and archived in the Ask Dr. Gourmet section of the website.

Please note that the Ask Dr. Gourmet feature is restricted to questions regarding food and nutrition. Due to the many questions we receive, not all questions may be answered. For more specific questions about your individual health, please contact your doctor. About Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP, CCMS | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy


 

Ask Dr. Gourmet

What are your thoughts on the Green Coffee Bean diet pill?

Just wondering what your thoughts are on the Green Coffee Bean diet pill that has been promoted by Dr Oz. I am a 56yo female and am trying to lose just 5 -10 lbs and can't do a thing about budging the scales. Do you think this is worth a try?

Dr. Gourmet Says...

a cup of coffee on a saucer

These sorts of scams are all over the internet and television now. Unfortunately, people can put anything in a pill and make any health claim about it these days. And they do this a lot.

There have been some small studies showing that drinking green tea might help with losing weight (a very small effect, mind you). There have not been any green tea extracts or pills that have been shown to be effective.

In fact, these may be dangerous for you. There have been multiple reports of liver failure in people taking green tea extracts.

Here's a report on a great review article about the efficacy of different supplements. You will find that there is no evidence that any of these is very effective.

Thanks for writing,

Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP, CCMS
Dr. Gourmet