What is the Apple Patch Diet?

The Apple Patch Diet is a weight loss system that was developed by the Apple Patch Diet Company. Followers of the diet are expected to apply a transdermal patch to their skin that contains active ingredients that allegedly encourage weight loss. The company's advertising materials also claim that the herbal ingredients on the patch stimulate the thyroid gland and hypothalamus, suppress appetite, and reduce fatigue that can result from a weight loss regimen. Since the company's inception in 2006, it has also produced versions of the transdermal patch's active ingredients in both pill and chewing gum form.

Generally, the key active ingredients of the Apple Patch Diet patch are all herbal, but there is no clinical evidence available that either corroborates or negates the assertion that the ingredients work together as an effective tool for initial or sustained weight loss. The key ingredients serve slightly different purposes in contributing to weight loss. Hoodia gordonii, yerba mate, and Cha de Bugre — all common to many weight loss products — function to curb appetite and send signals that trick the body into believing it has had enough to eat, even when caloric and liquid intakes are severely restricted. The primary function of vitamin B6 is to support required bodily functions despite extreme appetite suppression. Guarana, green leaf extract, and white willow bark are all natural stimulants that serve to boost bodily metabolic functions so that the dieter can sustain normal energy levels while losing weight.

Instructions require reapplication of a new patch every three days, with the recommendation that the user apply it to a different location than the previous one. Patch application should continue until the dieter achieves his desired weight loss goal. There are no specific recommendations for either dietary or exercise regimens while using the Apple Patch Diet, which does raise questions regarding its overall value as a diet, rather than as a dietary supplement. There are no dietitians or medical personnel who actively recommend either the use of the company's products or any program that does not include a combination of sufficient calories to sustain health and active exercise.

People who wish to use Apple Patch Diet products must purchase them from affiliate organizations since the company no longer maintains an active Internet presence, and the products are not available through standard retail channels such as drug stores, health food stores, or pharmacies. The Apple Patch Diet Company now markets and sells its products only through independent, third-party vendors who purchase a franchise for a small membership fee and monthly web-hosting fee. Simple Internet searches reveal that few, if any, affiliates still exist, and most affiliate websites now redirect visitor traffic to other websites.