Diet patches stick like Band-Aids on the skin and allegedly assist in weight loss. They claim that the active weight loss ingredients contained in the patches seep into the body system via the skin, thereby suppressing the appetite and increasing the metabolism. The weight loss ingredients found in diet patches are often the same as those found in oral weight loss products.

Ingredients in diet patches

Recently, there has been a significant increase in diet patches that advertise fucus vesiculosus, also known bladder wrack, as its active ingredient. Fucus vesiculosus is a brown algae found in oceans and seas. It contains iodine, which manufacturers claim stimulate the thyroid gland to speed up metabolism. Other diet patches feature ingredients such as guarana, 5-HTP, zinc pyruvate, DHEA, yerba mate, lecithin, flaxseed oil, L-Carnitine, and zinc citrate. Like fucus vesiculosus, guarana and L-Carnitine increase metabolism; 5-HTP, DHEA and yerba mate act as appetite suppressants, while zinc pyruvate, lecithin, flaxseed oil, and zinc citrate help create a balanced body weight.

Where’s the scientific evidence that you lose weight with diet patches?

Diet patches may seem like a dieter’s dream come true. They make for an extremely convenient and simple solution. However, the effects of diet patches have been highly controversial. There is no clinical evidence to support whether diet patches really work. Although ingredients like zinc pyruvate and green tea have been clinically shown to assist in weight loss when ingested orally, no study has ever been conducted to tell us whether or not the same effects occur when the ingredients are applied to the skin. Some people argue that the amount of ingredients needed for fat loss must get into your system within a short period of time in order to have maximum effect; this is not feasible with diet patches. Others say that weight loss ingredients create the same effects, whether they are ingested orally or applied to the skin. There is no way to substantiate either claim until studies on diet patches are actually conducted.