A lot of people want to lose weight. Maybe you want to lose weight. And in response to this desperation, countless supplement companies have emerged offering everything under the sun.

The big problem here is that the supplement industry is NOT regulated. Anybody can put anything in a bottle, smack a label on it and put it for sale on the shelves.

Yet, could the state of affairs really be this bad? The surprising answer is yes. Most supplements do not work at all. And even if you do find a nutrient that has some benefit, finding a company that actually produces a product with purity can be a major headache.

Nonetheless, here is my review of popular supplements for losing fat:

1. Supplemental amino acids. Proceed with caution here. If you take a massive amount of one amino acid, you can limit the absorption of another. Amino acids can compete for carriers. Also, extra amino acids will not help you get more energy.

2. L-carnitine tablets. This one is a no brainer. Carnitine is not essential. In other words, your body produces all the carnitine it needs for fat burning. So do not fall for the faulty assumption that extra carnitine will get more fat into your cells for burning.

3. Chromium pills. There was some limited research showing the effectiveness of this supplement. And some research showed that chromium picolinate could be toxic, not good. I believe that supplementing with chromium will provide little, if any benefit.

4. Meal replacements. Often found in shiny packets, meal replacements should not be called meal replacements. Why? Because a packet of powder will never be able to replace a meal in its nutritional entirety. These powders have limited applications and remember that solid food will always outperform liquid food.

The gyrations supplement companies will go through to push their products are endless. And more often than not, it can be very hard for the average consumer to sift through all the hype without an advanced degree in exercise science. So stick to natural food and avoid all the enticing claims!

Katherine Crawford MS, a Harvard exercise expert and recent arm fat sufferer, is an expert on arm toning. Learn how to get toned arms now by visiting her own site on flabby arms.