Now you can get a pill for your serious weight problem at a fraction of the cost.
Isn't the marketplace great! If you're at least 20 pounds overweight, thanks to the kind folks at Generix Laboratories, you can now get the same great weight loss formula as found in more expensive Leptoprin at a much more affordable price. Yes! Now you can not lose any weight at all and pay less at the same time. It's a medical miracle!…
Article comments
— go to most recent comments26 - Audri
I thank you for taking the time to write such a piece.
There are many of us buying worthless pills and 'kits' to help find out what makes us fat. I myself have a upstairs closet of half used bottles that made me sick or didn't work. There are jacka$$e$ selling crazy pills on Ebay for goodness sake.
They make money because we want to hear we have the potential to be desirable and beautiful. Society has made us desperate to be accepted; you can see that in what "works4me on August 25, 2005" wrote.
(It is 3:39am CST and I have seen 3 different commercials for diet pills)
Thank you!!!
27 - Ashlie
Thanks for this article.. I was totally excited about the commercial offering the pills for 30.00, and was planning to order them. Now I think I will just go see my doctor instead.
Thanks Again!
28 - Leptoking
lol .. I have seen more knowledge in a pre school class from Alabama ...
29 - Donald
can you name the lady who advertise leptoprin,,, blond hair blue eyes dressed in a dark suit.
thank you
30 - DrPat
Sure, Donald -- it's CONnie...
31 - Donald
CONnie ok thank you, ok if youll bear with me are there any more commerical that she is in.... or where could i find more pictures of her .....
thank you in advance....
32 - ChelseaLou
WAIT! HOLD UP!??! They're making LEPER PILLS NOW?
Quick. Find me the number or forward me on to CONnie, STAT.
*arm falls off*
33 - with karate ill kik ur ass
lololol
34 - Sparky
How can anyone be tricked by these sort of things? Isn't it quite obvious these commercials target white trailer trash who've never been to a real doctor in years. I swear to god, it enrages me to think that someone could be so ignorant not to see a cheaply made commercial with some cracked out looking woman trying to look seriuos.
Oh, "Generix Labs" thanks you guys, for looking out for the little guy, you know, the consumer. "Generix" Who named this farse of a company? A 12 year old in an AOL chatroom? Jesus christ, there's an "x" people! If you're going to have something just eating away the pounds, it should atleast be from a buisness that can spell. There's nothing Generic about it. I do not doubt this marketing idea was plotted since before the "leptoprin" scam was unleashed.
Use your head people, if you're interested in products on TV, deny your interest as soon as the fast paced snotty male voice at the end goes "call 1-800-324-2343".
35 - Nancy
Granted, obesity brings with it a certain mindless desperation to 'try anything', but anyone who would buy anything advertised on TV, radio, etc., whether it's "guaranteed" to fix your weight, erectile capabilities, hair loss, or any other problem, is too stupid to live. The question is, should they be protected from their own brainlessness by prosecuting fraudulent advertisers, or be allowed to fork over their money to these moral lepers? While we're at it, why are the TV/radio/papers allowed to run these ads and not be held at least marginally, partially responsible for fraud as well? Seems to me, if you help someone rip people off, that makes you an accomplice, no?
36 - DrPat
Notice that Donald entirely missed the emphasis in my reply. He accepted "CONnie" as the woman's name without pausing for a breath.
Maybe I should have said her name was Scamdra...
37 - Sparky
You're right nancy, this is the one time Hitler's tactic of extermination sounds good. Survival of the fittist I presume. If you're trailer trash enough to call a 1-800 number for your dietary needs, you should rot to death along side your wasted government checks.
I find it funnier that the conniving jerks decided to use the Fox News channel as their main target audience. Who better to waste their money by manipulation than the avarage conservetive news zombie.
38 - Nancy
It doesn't matter which party they vote for; most likely they don't, because they're too stupid & lazy to do so. Can't tear themselves away from MTV long enough to go do their civic duty, let alone use their brains to figure out who they support on the issues ("Issues? What issues?"). In any case, extermination for the mentally lazy sounds fine to me.
39 - Sparky
What about the physically lazy, who look to pills to do what putting down the cake, and going for a walk could do, without risk of taking low-grade speed.
40 - Nancy
Nature takes care of all: pills don't work - unless they do, and give the user a heart attack - so what pills don't do, plaque buildup in the arteries does. It's just a slower process. Suicide by overeating. Problem is, most of these people reproduce themselves.
41 - Sparky
It's TV's fault! That, and low rent. Hah.
Why make something of your life, when you got so much to do right infront of your TV set. Jerry Springer, Maury, Dr. Phil, the Lifetime channel, all those things that say, "You're fat, and that's ok, so just sit back, and we'll pump you full of those feelings called acceptance. No, no, don't get up off that couch, stay fat, leech off your husband or government, and when it comes down to that evil thing called logic and dignity, let Dr. Phil be your hero."
42 - Sparky
"Oh, and make sure you watch all the commercials for cash settlements and diet schemes. That car that hit your car slipped a disk in your spine, you can't even get on your feet, nevermind you wouldn't get on them if you had the skeletal integrity of Jesus himself. So just sit back, call 1-800 lawyers and diet pills, your ignorance is a welcome sign of 'true character' "
43 - DrPat
"the skeletal integrity of Jesus himself"
No, Sparky, that's a different marketing program...
[grin]
44 - Marshall
Even if these pills deon't work, they are a pretty good vitamin supplement. For example, they contain 20 mg of Niacin. Niacin is a vitamin that has recently been shown to raise good cholesterol levels (HDL). These pills also contain a very high amount of caffeine which acts as the 'acute metabolic regulator' they advertise. So, even if there are no appetite suppressing qualities, the pills do raise your energy level which can lead to weight loss and they raise HDL levels.
45 - David Flores
Great post! I'd been wanting to write a blog entry like this for a while and just never got around to it.
46 - Lisa
Here's MY input on the subject...I'm 33, 5'6" and the scales are telling me that I have hit the 190 pound mark. I have NEVER weighed this much so I "eenied meenied miney moe'd" the diet aisle and chose Leptopril. I took my first 2 pills yesterday like I was supposed to do before I ate lunch. There HAS to be SOMETHING in the pills because all afternoon at work, I had extra energy and I eventually felt like CRAP. (dizzy-ish, even go as far as clammy...and I couldnt even THINK of eating again). And today, I took another 2 pills and here I am again...feeling the same way.
My life is pretty sucky right now and when I dont have anything else to do anymore, I seem to spend the time eating (God help me) and if Leptopril can and will stop me from WANTING to eat just to eat...I'm all for it.
47 - Dave Nalle
Leptopril contains vitamins and some marginal stimulants. They're as likely to increase appetite as not. Your reaction might be to what's in the pills, but it won't result in weight loss for any medical or chemical reason. In fact, the reaction might be entirely mental, but then a change in attitude is a lot more likely to cause weight loss than the contents of Leptopril are.
Dave
48 - Nancy
Lisa, if that's the physical reaction you're getting from these things, I really, Really, REALLY wouldn't take any more of them. I know, you're desperate. Trust me, if you've GOT to have some chemical help, at least go see your doctor & get the legit stuff. Please? For you?
49 - Dave Nalle
Good point, Nancy. That could very well be a sensitivity or allergic reaction to one of the ingredients, and that could be dangerous. Leptopril DOES have ingredients. They may not be useful for weightloss, but they could certainly be dangerous for some.
Dave
50 - Bob Smith
Beautifully presented Dave. An excellent job of thoughtful and a very thorough run at really unkind behavior.
Hopefully these folks will have to account fully - one day.
Bob
51 - Silas Kain
Does anyone remember AYDS, the candy appetite suppressant that was all the rage at the end of the 70's into the 80's? Now there's a sweet confection that went right down the tubes. Chew an AYDS and get skinny, catch AIDS and die. And the world keeps spinning...
52 - Peter
The National Geographic channel has been playing their ads (Leptoprin and Leptopril) like 100 times a day, it's almost the National Leptoprin channel.
How could people be so stupid and see the scam? How could a channel striving for respect stoop to such a level and to make money from vultures preying on the insecurities of overweight and obese people?
The FDA should have a more active role and prevent such flagrant scams.
53 - OnePerson
Just a few thoughts on your blogs...
I was surfing the net for my research paper and found your site...I was really impressed by your blog Dave...thought WOW...he really is honest and trying to get the word out on these scams which unfortunately are everywhere you go...HOWEVER...after reading the responses...I was mortified and sickened by the "ignorance"..of all "fat people are stupid and lazy" ...It kind of reminds me of ohhhh I don't know...White power mentality or maybe just uneducated??? Talk about the epitome of "white trash"...Oh well...I guess opinions are kind of like a**holes...everyone has one..
I will now step down off my box..with one last comment...Dave...if you want surfers to take your blogs seriously.. you might want to find yourself in better (more intelligent) company....
Just one skinny persons opinion.....
54 - Dave Nalle
You have a point, OP, but on the other hand there are some very good and well thought out responses as well. When you put something out on the net, you take your chances on the kinds of responses you get. On a very active site like this, all sorts of people will see the posting and that means that the audience includes some flakes and idiots. Plus, certain topics - like this one - will draw their attention and encourage them to comment whether you want them to or not. My thinking is that the people who can be helped will take the comments for what they're worth and pay attention to the main message. Those who can't do that probably wouldn't get much from it anyway.
Dave
55 - Christina
I just found this site (after buying Leptopril at target today)
I've recently lost 40 pounds myself using no diet pills but now was hoping the 'caffeine kick' these type of pills usually provide will help with the rest of the weight I need to lose. To me, they looked as good as any other pills on the shelf so that's what I grabbed. Even though I have bought the product, I thought the commercial was the most stupid I have seen yet.
And to be honest, I thought they were more marketing to 'skinny' people rather than overweight. With the 'if you need to lose 5 pounds this is not for you' trick, I am sure they had a million 5 or 10 pounds overweight people calling like crazy thinking 'well, then I must have it and my 5-10 will melt away!'.. LOL.. just my personal views on what I thought the commercial meant. All that reverse thinking ... "it's not for you"...makes them think "oh yes it is"... I am sure they had more skinny people ordering this product more than any other diet pill with that short sentence. It was the skinny people I was feeling bad for... wondering how many fell for that line. ;)
For me, I do believe they will help, they have green tea and caffeine in them and I believe that itself will help people curb an appetite. I am not expecting miracles and the commercial did not phase me at all with any false hope. (sorry, guess im not such a fat 'dummy')
After all, I do not drink coffee myself, but I see people buzzing around on a coffee kick all day skipping meals. And a $4 a day coffee habit is a pretty expensive 'diet,' isn't it? About the same as expensive as the 'cigarette diet' ..(which i do not do either) I see skinny people sucking on cigarettes to stay thin so they don't eat. (yes, i personally know people who say they don't want to quit smoking for fear of eating to much and gaining weight) Guess we are all suckers, just in different ways ... skinny or fat ... diet pills, miracle lotions, addictions to smoking, coffee addicts, magazines telling us to do this and look like that ... it's no wonder we all are buying into something or another. And believe me, it's not just us fat people falling for all this, (botox ring a bell? skinny models putting poison in their face) I wonder if everyone could honestly admit to 'falling' for one of the gimmicks out there. I will be the first to say I have... and for the person who say's it must be trailer trash falling for this... I agree with OP on her thoughts about some of the posts here... like because we fall for something we are labeled... label everyone before you just label fat people. And sparky, for your white trash theory, i can practically guarantee you make less $ a year than I do... so try keeping your judgements to yourself..if you can please. To each their own I say, your an adult, if you want those diet pills, buy them, if you want some botox, get it, got a goal to get that tummy tuck or get that penis enlarged... THUMBS UP to you!
56 - Sparky
"And sparky, for your white trash theory, i can practically guarantee you make less $ a year than I do"
You sir, are what we call a Douche Bag, your crackpot theories about making money, do not mean anything to someone with self control (dieting like a decent self respecting person). Here's a way to get skinny, save your money for food for something like a hobby, or a relationship, rather than filling your fat bellies with the loving embrace of a 8 inch stomach dialation.
57 - Chris Elssner
"Their TV ad is fantastic, with an overly intense and somewhat scary lady suggesting that you're just too poor and stupid not to be fat if you don't fork over hundreds of dollars for their product."
This comment is hard to decipher. If you don't buy their pill, you are too stupid to be someone who isn't fat. If you don't buy their pill, you'd be a fool not to be fat person? So, if I don't buy the pill, I should be fat, and if I don't become fat after not buying their product, I'm a fool? Meaning that if don't buy their pill, I should make an effort to be fat or something? If you remove "not to be fat" from the conditional statement, it makes sense, because then you'd be saying if you don't buy their product then you're just too poor and stupid. Or maybe I'm horrible at language, and it's my fault for not understanding. Please elaborate.
58 - Mag
I don't know what the big deal is... 2 people I know used it and gained energy and believe they're losing weight. That's how I heard about it. Since it's just a vitamin with no potentially bad effects, there is only weight loss that can be achieved. I ordered it and it comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. I hope it works and it will be money well spent. If it doesn't, what's the big deal? I'll send it back. I've struggled with weight my whole life but I've cut calories and continue to exercise very regularly. I've lost about 35-38 pounds to date (over many years of hard work). I'm almost 5'6'' and around 145-148 now. I would love to weigh 135! That is my goal! Here's hoping Leptopril will work....
59 - Ed Hellig
If you add a 'c' to the beginning of those names, you get 'Cleptoprin' and 'Cleptopril'... how ironic. Clepto Aspirin.
60 - Lo Peterson
okay so i tried this pill...stupid i know. but im kind of nervous because im really sick now (sore throat tight chest ear irritation) and im nervous that this thing caused it. lesson learned this stuff doesnt work
61 - Ema
I've tried these pills both the liptoprin and liptopril and so far they have worked, I've lost 17lbs in 3 months. I used the expensive ones the first month and then switched over to the liptopril and so far so good.
62 - Amjad
Hahah I'm still laughing after reading the responses. I have to say I thought the scam was outragoeous, and my guess was that it was a blatent ripoff that depended on the same things that rebates depend on. and that's a lot of people not seeking a refund.
:)
63 - Liz
Dear Dave,
I am writing a paper, and I would like to know how you aquired the information you did and what your profession is. Thank you so so so so much, if you could just e-mail me that would be great. its liz2245 at yahoo
Thanks a million,
Liz
64 - Diane
I was actually looking into claims of weight loss from many different companies and I recently started looking into Leptopril (but knew nothing about its origin). If you, or anyone you know has ever been on a diet, they have surely tried the countless crap bomarding the airwaves and internet. I have not heard of any that actually do what they claim...and you are certainly right by suggesting that exercise and lower caloric intake is the way to go. Save your money...buy better food, fresh, unprepared food... and stay away from all the dieter's traps. Too much marketing or lies... Great advice Dave and great article. Kudos!
65 - Diann
You know it is sad, in this day and age, that people are so money hungry, they will put anything on the market. Fake diet pills are the worse. There are so many people out in the world that are overweight, myself included, that people should know by now, there is no pill that can make you lose weight. By maintaining a healthy diet and exercise is the only way you can lose weight. So people just beware there are so many of these organizations trying to con you out of your money. As they always say, if it seems to good to be true, then usually it is.
66 - TV Slug
Looking up the owners of the domains leptoprin.com and leptopril.com, it turns out they are both owned by, ta da, the same company, Western Holdings LLC. So there's just one more link to show you the company offering the expensive product and the "half-priced" value product are indeed the same. It's like offering a brick for $20, then later offering it for $10, saying "look... it's half priced!"
67 - ccc
Its sad to see the comments from people who think this crap is helping them... but I guess that's the same thing that keeps people rubbing crystals on their foreheads, wearing copper bracelets, and putting magnets in their shoes.
Sure, the scumbags who sell this stuff are immoral, but so are the tv channels that run the ads, take the money and look the other way.
Used to be illegal to run ads like this, until Reagan deregulated TV.
68 - Nancy
As someone who's been thru the mill in my time, including having my jaws wired, Fen-Phen, & all the rest, I can assure every single person on earth that there is NO EASY, QUICK FIX. NONE. NADA. NONEXISTANT. So don't waste your money, your health, or your time on the scum who live off the despair of people like me (and you) who are overweight or just think they are. This includes so-called 'legit' stuff like Weight Watchers, or any of the other diet companies.
Weight loss for the vast majority of the population depends on calories in, energy expended. Period. You want to lose weight, you've got to increase your physical activity & at the least ensure that the nature of the calories you're intaking is quality stuff - which doesn't include pastas or breads. Limited red meat, mostly fish or poultry (NOT fried), lots of leafy green veggies, limited starchy veggies, and fruit in moderation, will get you there. All the quack junk pimped by the diet industry and the vultures that feed off it doesn't a lick more than a cup of coffee or six will, because in the final analysis, that's all it is: additives & common drugs.
There are a few whose physical systems don't respond except to extreme restricted calories, etc. For them there is bypass surgery, but even then, it should only be done as a LAST resort, and because one is MORBIDLY obese, i.e. you've tried everything else, you still weigh 400 lbs, & you're going to die otherwise. It is NOT an avenue for the woman looking to lose 30 lbs for her school reunion, or the guy looking to lose his love handles, and a reputable doctor won't even look at anyone who isn't seriously, dangerously overweight. And even these patients have to push their activity envelope, without drugs to help. In the final analysis, it still comes down to decreased input, increased output.
Lo, dear - PLEASE get thee to a clinic or doctor. You need real, medical help. It's possible you've had an allergic reaction, it's possible you've had a cross-reaction with other meds you might be taking, even over-the-counter stuff.
Take my word for it. I'm a "professional" & lifelong dieter (all but the first 3 years of my life), so I know firsthand this crap doesn't work. Save your money, and possibly your life.
And no: fat people are no more stupid as a group than are redheads or Methodists or any other group. In fact, an awful lot of them tend to be very brainy - just overabused by others luckier in the physical perfection sweeps.
69 - Sean
FYI, for those who "feel" something when they take Leptoprin (or Leptopril), there is a good reason for this. The formula contains what is known as an "ECA Stack," which is a combination of Caffeine, Aspirin, and potentially deadly Ephedrine (at least it used to have it in there--after reading about the crooks from this company, they probably changed the label but it's STILL IN THERE).
The Ephedrine/Caffeine combo gives the user extra energy (that ultra-"hopped up" feeling), while the Aspirin thins out the blood and upsets the stomach, which makes the user feel not as hungry (and a little sick).
ECA Stacks are DANGEROUS and this company is NOT HONEST in their dealings. They put people's health on the line to LINE THEIR OWN POCKETS. Please, please discontinue use of these products and see a doctor...you could DIE or get VERY, VERY SICK by using them.
70 - Nancy VanDeventer
I just bought a bottle of leptopril and spent $33.95 for 95 capsules at Walmart. I hope it works. I weigh 177lbs and would like to loose 50lbs. I don't eat much in the first place and I never go back for seconds and always drain fat from hamburger meat and rinse with water when making tacos. And I always cut the fat off chicken before cooking it. My weight just stays the same. So I thought I need some extra help. If I could get the weight off it would stay there. So I'm hoping the pills work. So I am giving it a month trial period to see if it works. Yes I know the water weight comes off first which is usually around 5lbs. So I have taken that under consideration. I want to feel better about myself. I have 5 kids and have only lost 10lbs after all that. Anyway I'm giving these pills a try.
71 - Kitty
Has anyone gone to the www.leptoprilsupport.com site and used the diet plan that is recommended for users of Leptopril? This looks to me like the best thing than is going for Leptopril. At least it has been helpful to me to know just how to get a food in-take program set in motion for me whether or not I choose to use Leptopril. After answering a few questions, a diet program was designed for me to loose weight by reducing my calorie intake on a day to day basis. The plan also includes a shopping list and a substitute foods list. This site uses a calorie controling program that regards your health issues as well. Calorie counting has worked for me in the past, and this support site might be helpful for others who want to control their calorie intake to loose weight. The support site, which has free access, also provides a chat system for those who need to talk with others who are actually using the Leptopril "program" designed by the manufacturer.
I hope some one will evaluate the support site and discuss whether there is a problem with the dietary advice of the manufacturer of Leptopril.
72 - Barbara Dyjak
I WAS TRYING TO RESEARCH THIS PRODUCT, AND FOUND YOUR PEICE. I COULDN'T SEEM TO FIND THE INGREDIENTS, HOWEVER. I WOULDN'T CONSIDER PURCHASING ANYTHING WITHOUT KNOWING THE INGREDIENTS. I DID, HOWEVER FIND A PRODUCT CALLED "LIPOVARIN" AND THE FULL LIST OF INGREDIENTS IS OFFERED. THEY INCLUDE; METABROMINE, THEOBROMINE, CITRUS AURANIUM,10% TOTAL AMINES, GREEN TEA LEAF EXTRACT,30% TEA PHENOLS,20% TEA CATECHINS, SEROTAIN, 5HTP, CAFFEINE, GLUCURONOLACTONE, TAURINE, L-CARNITINE, LTARTATE, 7-KETO9dehydroepiandosterone, CORAL CALCIUM.
I SUSPECT THAT THIS IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING.
WHAT DO YOU SAY, DAVE?
73 - Dave Nalle
I believe that Caffeine an Taurine are the key active ingredients they have in common.
Dave
74 - Christie
Although I do not live in a trailer, nor draw a government check, I was considering purchasing this product until now. I have an amazon.com gift certificate and I thought what the heck, I'll spend it on something I wouldn't take a chance on with my real money. But after reading all this I think I'll just take my mother's advice and go on a nice healthy no bread, no sugar, no fried foods diet. Thanks
75 - Dave Nalle
You could use the Amazon money forr a good 'zone' diet book, or even better, for a pocket calory counter book - i think they even have little electronic ones.
Dave