So what does one make of Xenadrine, which continues to be one of the most actively promoted weight-loss products in print, on TV and on the internet.

Since Xenadrine EFX was introduced in 2002, this fat burner has racked up more than $100 million in sales. And the product still seems to be going strong, even though marketer Cytodyne in 2005 settled suits with the FDA and State of New Jersey that charged the company with exaggering Xenadrine's benefits and understating its risks.

The FTC's complaint centered on claims that Xenadrine was "clinically proven to cause rapid and substantial weight loss," which it said ran counter to several studies commissioned for the supplement.

In one of these studies, according to the FDA, people taking Xenadrine EFX lost an average of only 1.5 pounds over the 10-week period, while a control group taking a placebo lost an average of 2.5 pounds over the same period!!!!

The state of New Jersey's suit involved both Xenadrine EFX and Xenadrine RFA-1, a earlier weight loss product based on the now-banned compound ephedrine.

Defendants in the New Jersey suit included five doctors who allegedly provided testimonials that falsely suggested that they had conducted research on Xenadrine RFA-1 that established that it was safe, effective or unique. New Jersey settled with each doctor for between $15,500 and $17,500.

So then you go to the website for Cytodyne, and you find they not only are pushing the "new and improved, Extra-Strength Xenadrine EFX." They now also are marketing Xenadrine-NRG, which it claims a study shows helps you "lost four times more body weight and three times more body fat," Xenodrine Carbo-Curb, "great for low-carb diets," and Xenadrine 40+, a weight-loss formula for adults over the age of 40.

Are any of these weight-loss products you should try? Well, with so many choices on the market, you might want to reflect on the history of Xenodrine products before making your judgment.