Use of herbal and supplement products for weight loss among Jordanians: A cross-sectional study.

There is limited evidence about the safety and efficacy of herbal products as there are no guidelines to regulate their use. This study aims to examine the use of herbal and supplement products for weight loss among the Jordanian general public. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online self-administrated questionnaire for the duration between April 7, 2025 and June 1, 2025. The questionnaire was developed based an extensive literature review in the area of the use of herbal and supplement products for weight loss. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the predictors of using herbal products/supplements used for the management of body weight. A total of 1125 participants were involved in this study. Around half of the study participants (49.9%) reported that they have you tried to reduce your weight in the past 12 months. The most commonly reported herbal products/supplements used for the management of your body weight were green tea, ginger, and cinnamon with 53.2%, 31.2%, and 29.9%, respectively. More than half of the study participants (55.3%) reported that they belief that the use of herbal products/supplements for the management of body weight is effective. The most commonly reported side effects were GIT disturbances (41.6%) and headache (20.2%). More than half of them (58.5%) reported that they are safer options, 27.6% reported that they might have side effects, and 22.0% of them reported that they might be allergic. Older participants (aged 31-35 years), females, those who are married, those who are working outside the healthcare sector, and those who have comorbidities are more likely to use herbal products/supplements used for the management of body weight compared to others (P ≤.05). The findings of this research showed that many individuals utilize these products after failing to lose weight with lifestyle changes, drugs, or surgery, or because they lack commitment. Due to their low cost, many people utilize these supplements and have long-held views about their safety and health benefits. At the same time, it is important to raise awareness of their use and proper doses to avoid health risks, as many have used them incorrectly.