OTC medications can lose their effectiveness before the expiration date if stored in a hot, humid place, such as the bathroom medicine cabinet. To make them last, keep them in a cool, dry place.

Weight loss is a common goal for many as increasingly sedentary lifestyles and highly palatable, calorie-dense foods can make maintaining a healthy weight challenging. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that achieving healthy weight loss should encompass a lifestyle including wholesome, nutrient-dense foods, plenty of movement and stress management. Still, many people turn to supplements hoping for an extra weight loss boost.

Overall effectiveness: Researchers have struggled to discern the effectiveness of ephedra since there aren't any long-term studies and most studies have also included caffeine, which is known to support weight loss. Ultimately, the risks of these supplements seem to far outweigh the potential benefits.

Many experts say it’s best to lose weight gradually. It’s more likely to stay off. If you shed pounds too fast, you’ll lose muscle, bone, and water instead of fat, says the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

GuideKeep your eye on the clock, only eating during a planned window each day. It’s that easy, and it can help with weight loss.

Most of these medications typically include diet and exercise interventions to help promote and maintain weight loss.

Side effects: CLA can cause some digestive side effects like constipation and diarrhea, and if taken over the long-term, Sopczak says it may increase your risk of over the counter fatty liver disease and insulin resistance.

A diet involves eating a certain selection of food, usually to improve your health, regulate your weight or cure a disease. New diets, programs and books on losing weight appear every day.

Intermittent fasting has become one of the most popular and possibly easiest means for weight loss and better health.

All dietary supplements must be labeled as such, and the labels must provide the following information:

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If you decide to fast, drink lots of water and take a daily multivitamin. Talk to your doctor, especially if you take medications that may need adjusting.

How it works: Green coffee extract comes from coffee beans that haven't been roasted yet — and these unroasted beans contain natural antioxidants known as chlorogenic acids that are believed to reduce the amount of glucose, aka sugar, you absorb after a meal.

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