MSNBC - WBAL, Baltimore, Maryland, October, 2005

There's a new generation of diet pills aimed directly at your belly. If you take them as directed, the marketers said you could lose the fat and get back that nice flat tummy you once had. But 11 News has discovered serious questions about those claims.

The muffin top, the spare tire around the middle, that midriff bulge—no matter what you call it, belly fat is hard to lose. Not only is it cosmetically challenging, belly fat is one of the worst kinds of fat.

It has been linked to heart disease, high blood pressure and certain types of cancer. But the manufacturer of a widely advertised dietary supplement claims it can help.

Relacore commercial: "Why did your last diet fail? Stress increases cortisol. Cortisol causes belly fat. Relacore reduces cortisol. You need Relacore."

The makers of Relacore claim these capsules can help shrink your tummy by reducing your cortisol—a hormone they claim increases belly fat. Dr. Tyler Cymet: "There's no good data that cortisol increases your belly fat."

Sinai Hospital's Dr. Tyler Cymet questions Relacore's theory.

Cymet: "I haven't seen any preliminary data. I haven't seen any articles. There are no cultural theories of cortisol causing belly fat. It just seemed to come out of nowhere."

Cymet said doctors do sometimes intentionally block cortisol levels in patients with certain medical problems. In those cases, it can have some effect on overall weight loss ...

Cymet: "But not belly fat."

About a year ago, the makers of Cortislim also advertised cortisol control as the answer for anyone who wanted to lose weight -- especially belly fat.

Cortislim infomercial: "No amount of exercise, no amount of diet is going to get rid of that. You need the cortisol control and Cortislim brings that,"

The Federal Trade Commission was watching and cried foul. Last year, it accused Cortislim's marketers of making false claims. Heather Hippsley, FTC: "In the infomercial, Cortislim made claims such as lose 10 to 50 pounds, virtually for all users, lose it quickly and easily. They said that their claims for substantial weight loss were backed by 15 years of science."

And that Cortislim could control someone's Cortisol levels helping them lose weight -- especially around the middle.

Hippsley: "The FTC has charged in its complaint that none of these claims were true" and that they are deceptive.

The FTC recently settled with three of the defendants in the Cortislim case. They have been ordered to pay $4.5 million in cash and assets and they can no longer make claims about any dietary supplement unless they are truthful and substantiated. Negotiations are continuing with four other defendants.

Other retailers of cortisol control weight loss products aren't off the hook. The FTC sent warning letters to 25 of them -- including the makers of Relacore. They must discontinue what the FTC calls any false or deceptive claims immediately. The maker of Relacore, the Carter-Reed Company, is fighting back.

A company representative said the allegation that Cortisol doesn't cause increased belly fat is ridiculous. And that Relacore's claims are based on independent clinical studies that show Relacore reduces stress, which they say will reduce cortisol.

Carter-Reed is suing the FTC claiming the FTC's standards for scientific proof are unconstitutionally vague.

And as for Cortislim, a representative for Window Rock Enterprises said the advertising claims in question aired nearly one to two years ago. And the FTC does not object to how Cortislim is marketed today.

Window Rock said Americans who gain weight when under stress could positively benefit by adding Cortislim and stress management to their diet and exercise program.

Of course, you should always check with your doctor before starting any dietary supplement or weight loss program.

[For a time, you can read the original article here.]