Quackery is a type of health fraud that promotes products and services that have questionable and unproven scientific bases. Nutrition quackery is one of the most profitable types of fraud. Weight loss products, dietary supplements, herbal remedies, and "sports" foods are some of the most popular items sold through infomercials and magazine ads. Some are so convincing that even the most knowledgeable of us might say "I wonder if it really works?" So how do you tell which are legitimate products and which are scams? If you look for some specific clues, you can avoid making a bad decision. If a product claims to provide an easy answer to a difficult question, you may want to be skeptical. There are many, many research studies in the fields of nutrition, weight loss, and athletic performance. These are complex fields of study and there is no one single answer to these question. Anything that promises amazing results with little to no effort is a big red flag. They know what the consumer wants to hear and they cater to that. Stay away from the "Magic Pill". Many of these products will site a scientific study. Beware! If these studies cannot be examined or are not published , be suspicious. Check the reliability of the magazine or newsletter in which the study was published. If the studies do not supply checkable references, be skeptical. Legitimate studies are easily referenced on the Internet. Another popular strategy is to claim persecution by the established medical community. These quacks try to convince us that the establishment wants to keep the truth from us so they can keep taking our money. There is no conspiracy among the health and nutrition researchers. Stay away from products that allude to false conspiracies. Testimonials are a great way to convince the consumer of the benefits of a product. They can be false testimonials. Some people are paid for their testimonials and some are sincere. Check the fine print. If the testimonial is true, it will say somewhere in really, really small letters "Results not typical". What does this mean? It means that the chances of you getting similar results from using this product are very slight. If you are looking for a way to enhance you health, loose weight, or enhance your athletic ability, there is an answer...a balanced diet, daily exercise and hard work. Sorry, I don't have a magic pill.