The QuickTrim line of weight loss products quickly made its way into the spotlight when it Kim Kardashian put her endorsement behind it, but it has now made its way back into the public eye with a lawsuit that is geared toward the Kardashian sisters which claims that they made “false” claims about what those supplements are capable of achieving.
Kim Kardashian’s QuickTrim Claims
In January 2010, Kim Kardashian was interviewed by OK! magazine, and stated that she’d rapidly lost 15 pounds through the use of the Quicktrim diet system, in a span of only a few weeks. However, within the last few months, this endorsement has put Kim and her sisters into hot water when a class action lawsuit for $5 million was filed by Bursor & Fisher, a law firm in New York, against Khloe, Kourtney, and Kim.
The Lawsuit
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of four customers who have said that the Kardashian claims about QuickTrim’s effects are “false, misleading, and unsubstantiated,” (according to a report by Reuters). The suit went on to say that none of the claims that were made have been supported by any reliable or competent scientific evidence.
The lawsuit rocked the brand, which was already struggling with a substantial amount of controversy. Because of the Kardashian participation and endorsement, the legal struggles remained centered in the spotlight at every stage. This caused the name of the QuickTrim product to be associated with doubt and its initial heavy wave of popularity dropped off significantly.
What is QuickTrim?
QuickTrim offers a full range of different types of products, including everything from powdered drink mixes to diet pills, which, according to the manufacturer, are meant to “detoxify and clean” the body by using laxatives to flush out excess bloating and water retention. The products are easily available online, as well as at over 25,000 chain store locations.
However, QuickTrim has failed to come up with any reputable scientific evidence to back up any of the claims that it has made, and recent studies are now suggesting that this type of cleansing product is not only unhelpful for dieting to lose weight, but that it could even be harmful to the health of certain individuals.
Risk of Side Effects
In 2011, the Journal of Family Practice published the results of a study that analyzed 20 case studies that have been reported within the previous ten years, and which showed that colon cleansing can lead to side effects that are as mild as some abdominal cramping or as severe as renal (kidney) failure. The authors of the study said that these types of products “tout benefits that don’t exist”.
Medical experts say that products such as QuickTrim provide the illusion of weight loss by giving a temporary reduction in water weight or even a small amount of fat, but that it will all be gained back again when normal eating behaviors are resumed.
The ingredients in QuickTrim products contain relatively powerful diuretics, stimulants, and laxatives. Even if you’re still interested in giving them a try, despite the evidence against them and the lawsuit faced by the Kardashians who have endorsed them, it is highly recommended that you speak with your doctor, first.
2019 Update
Since the original product review was written, it appears that QuickTrim has been removed from store shelves. A search engine query could no longer call up an official website for the product or brand in its results. Moreover, retailers and online marketplaces that had once sold the product – including Amazon – no longer have it in stock. Though it is still listed, there are no longer any sellers with the weight loss system to offer.
It isn’t too surprising to know that nearly a decade after all the controversy started, the product is no longer in existence. This type of celebrity endorsed product can easily become a flash in the pan fad when lawsuits start to pop up. This is particularly true when those same celebrities have moved on to credit other strategies and products for their weight management successes.
Since that time, this product has joined others in becoming a commonly cited example of why it’s important to look beyond celebrity endorsement when it comes to choosing a diet pill. It’s very important to speak with a medical professional who is far less likely to be swayed by issues such as celebrity backing.
