While this is frustrating you must understand that many of these products were never really meant to help anyone in the first place. Most of the over the counter diet and weight loss products are just meant to take your money and nothing more.

After all, look at how many of these products actually say something along the lines of "... when used in conjunction with regular exercise and healthy eating." You need to be asking yourself what benefit you will actually gain from taking the supplement. Why not just do the regular exercise and the healthy eating and skip the supplement?

The only reason I'd take a supplement is to cleanse the colon of parasites and plaque which a well known TV doctor, Suzanne Gudakunst, says is the real reason people can't lose weight despite exercise and healthy eating. Cleansing your colon to facilitate weight loss has the added benefit of reducing the incidence of common lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

In any case, if you do come across a weight loss product that looks like it could be worth a try you need to do some research. Bear in mind that just because it may be a herbal product doesn't mean it is safer or more effective than a diet and weight loss product that contains chemicals.

Research the product on the internet. See what people who have used the product say about it. Is the product manufactured by a reputable company? Is the product sold in pharmacies? If so, ask the pharmacist for information on its effectiveness and any potential side effects that could be relevant.

One of the best ways of finding a good diet and weight loss product (or any product for that matter) is to find out what sells well when compared to other similar products. Products usually become best sellers for one simple reason. They do what they promise they will do. You'll know the product is not just another fad if it has been a top seller for a long time. Also, note whether the vendor is willing to offer a money back guarantee for a reasonable amount of time. If they do, it means they believe in the product wholeheartedly.

I'm not saying that new products to the market don't have potential to be successful, it just depends on whether you want to bet on something already tested or take a risk on a new product that has yet to be proven.