The Food and Drug Administration banned the sale of weight-loss products containing the herb ephedra in 2004. Supplement makers have been scurrying ever since to find suitable, safe and effective replacements.

Chinese researchers developed a weigh-loss supplement called Number Ten (NT), containing rhubarb, ginger, astragalus, red sage and turmeric that caused weight loss and appetite suppression in rats.

Researchers from Louisiana State University found that consuming NT for 12 weeks (6-12 grams per day) had no effect on weight loss and appetite in 24 women aged 18 to 60.

The researchers used only one-six of the dose of NT found effective in rats. However, NT caused diarrhea in nearly all the women – even though the doses were relatively smaller than those used in the rat studies.

The researchers concluded that NT was not a promising weight-loss supplement because it caused unacceptable side effects at effective doses. Oh, well. Maybe they will have better luck with “Number Eleven�. [sources: International Journal of Obesity, Fitness Rx]