14 Health Products You Probably Don't Need part 2

Barefoot running “shoes” Barefoot running has been all the rage lately. Hard-core believers jog with nothing between their toes and the pavement, but many have opted for products like the Vibram FiveFingers, essentially a glove for the foot.

Running barefoot seems to help correct a runner’s stride naturally and may result in fewer injuries. However, the jury is still out on whether barefoot-feel running shoes truly prevent injuries.

Give them a try if you want, but keep in mind that they can be pricey ($75 to $125)—and difficult to get your toes into. If you’re happy with your workout shoes, there’s no need to add these to your wardrobe.

Colon cleansers

You can find endless raves—including some from celebs—about the weight-loss and detox benefits of flushing your colon with water in an enema-like procedure.

However, waste material and toxins don’t build up over time; the colon does a perfectly good job of cleaning itself out on its own, says Roshini Raj, MD, in our new book What the Yuck?!.

There’s little evidence of health benefits, and they may cause unpleasant side effects like tummy pain and diarrhea. Plus, you’ll be looking at about $55 to $95 per treatment to get your colon cleansed by a professional. Home enema kits run about $50.

Moisturizing clothes

Skineez is a line of figure-friendly clothing that incorporates “anti-cellulite” and moisturizing ingredients like caffeine and shea butter into the fabric of the clothes. (Yes, you read that right.)

"If someone is making a claim that sounds too good to be true, then it probably is," says Sidney M. Wolfe, MD, the founder and director of the Health Research Group at consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen, "particularly if it’s cosmetics."

Body heat triggers the garment to slowly release the embedded ingredients. But with a camisole ringing up for $52, why not just get some lotion?

Airborne

These mega-supplements have gained popularity as a cure for the common cold. But the evidence behind their immune-system-bolstering effects is inconclusive to say the least.

“A lot of these supplements make quasi-medical claims,” says Dr. Wolfe.

And the claims hardly ever stand up to scientific scrutiny: Airborne paid over $23 million in 2008 to settle a class-action suit about its product’s cold-prevention effects—or lack thereof.

Bottom line: If you’ve got a case of the sniffles, there’s—sniffle—no quick fix.

Cool Shapes apparel

These alleged fat-blasting shorts hold ice packs tight to the hips, belly, and butt. Five weeks of 30-minute-a-day wear is said to trigger faster calorie burning and reduce fat.

The company cites research on the effects of cold on fat, but this research had little to do with the trouble areas Cool Shapes targets. What's more, most of the "good" calorie-burning fat that could be stimulated by cold is limited to your neck, shoulders, and upper back.

One of the study’s researchers went so far as to say that the company is misleading the public by using his findings in this way.
http://www.health.com