15 ’90s Weight Loss Products That Are No Longer Sold
These vanished products were once seen as golden tickets to fast weight loss, only to become cautionary tales.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
Back in the ’90s, the booming diet industry thrived on flashy infomercials, miracle pills, and celebrity endorsements. However, beneath the hype were products that often skirted safety, leaned on pseudoscience, or simply didn’t work. As public awareness and regulations grew stronger, many of these weight loss fads faded out, leaving behind an important lesson about patience, balance, and evidence-based wellness.
1. Dexatrim with Phenylpropanolamine (PPA)
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Dexatrim was once a household name for dieters, especially the version that included phenylpropanolamine. It promised fast appetite suppression and was stocked on countless pharmacy shelves. However, by the early 2000s, it was pulled after studies linked PPA to increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke.
2. The Cambridge Diet
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This liquid meal replacement plan had people surviving on shakes that barely reached 400 calories a day. While it promised rapid results, it also brought a wave of fatigue, dizziness, and nutrient deficiencies. By the mid-’90s, it was heavily rebranded and restricted due to safety concerns.
3. SlimFast Chewing Gum
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Before protein shakes took over, SlimFast released appetite-suppressing chewing gum with chromium picolinate. The idea was to curb cravings between meals with a few chews. It quietly vanished from store shelves as concerns around chromium’s effectiveness and safety mounted.
4. Chinese Diet Tea (Various Brands)
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These over-the-counter teas claimed to flush out fat and toxins but were often just aggressive laxatives. Many users experienced cramping, dehydration, and unpredictable “emergencies” in public. Despite their popularity, the FDA eventually flagged several versions for containing banned substances.
5. Phen-Fen (Fenfluramine and Phentermine)
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This infamous prescription combo dominated the ’90s weight loss scene, marketed as a miracle pill duo. It helped people shed pounds quickly, but the long-term effects were catastrophic. Pulmonary hypertension and heart valve damage led to lawsuits and a nationwide recall in 1997.
6. The ThighMaster Contour (Advanced Version)
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Suzanne Somers’ original ThighMaster sold like hotcakes, and the “Contour” version promised even more resistance. While technically not a pill or supplement, it was marketed as a major part of weight loss routines. It faded into obscurity as consumers gravitated toward full-body workouts and resistance bands.
7. Metabolife 356
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This ephedra-based supplement was marketed as a metabolism booster with thermogenic effects. It became a bestseller until stories of elevated blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes came pouring in. In 2004, the FDA banned ephedra in dietary supplements, and Metabolife 356 disappeared with it.
8. Fat Trapper
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Endorsed on late-night infomercials, Fat Trapper claimed to absorb dietary fat before it could be digested. It was sold with “Exercise in a Bottle” as a miracle pairing for couch potatoes. The product faded away after consumer watchdogs questioned its effectiveness and safety.
9. Alli (Original Orlistat Formulation)
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The over-the-counter version of Orlistat promised to block fat absorption, but it came with greasy consequences. Users often experienced uncontrollable bowel movements and had to carry extra clothes “just in case.” The product was pulled for reformulation after contamination issues and declining sales.
10. SlimSpray
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A peppermint-flavored oral spray that claimed to suppress appetite with hoodia and green tea extract. It sounded like a breath freshener with benefits but failed to deliver noticeable weight loss for most users. Lack of scientific backing and questionable ingredients led to its quiet exit from the market.
11. Zantrex-3 (Original Formula)
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Marketed as a high-energy weight loss pill, Zantrex-3 mixed caffeine with obscure herbs. It promised instant fat burning, but users often reported jitters, insomnia, and heart palpitations. Regulatory scrutiny and a flood of negative reviews led to a reformulated version by the late 2000s.
12. Hollywood 48-Hour Miracle Diet
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This flashy “cleanse” came in a fruity bottle and promised up to 10 pounds lost in just two days. It essentially starved users with a low-calorie juice filled with sugars and diuretics. The weight often returned quickly, and the product was criticized for encouraging unhealthy crash dieting.
13. Natural Balance Super Fat Burners
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These bright yellow pills were filled with a cocktail of caffeine, guarana, and green tea to “melt fat.” It was a common sight in ’90s health stores, but it delivered more jitters than weight loss. Growing unease around stimulant-heavy formulas nudged it off the shelves.
14. Lipozene (First Gen Formula)
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Initially advertised as a magical pill that turned fat into gel and flushed it out, Lipozene built its hype on glucomannan. But the first version had problems with dosage and bloating that turned off many early users. It was eventually reformulated after backlash and regulatory warnings.
15. Sweet Success (by Nestlé)
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Nestlé entered the weight loss race with these meal-replacement shakes and bars. Despite a glossy marketing campaign and celebrity endorsements, it never delivered sustainable results. It was pulled from the market in the late ’90s after years of underwhelming performance.