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Power-Pops claim to help people lose weight.

Through the years, dieters have tried a lot of fads to lose weight.

But Gloria Cameron of Bedford says she's finally licking her weight problem—one lollipop at a time.

"I've lost 13 pounds, but I've dropped a pant size," Cameron said. "I haven't done that in 10 years."

After a friend suggested it, Cameron tried Power-Pops. The product claims to be the "Most powerful way to suppress appetite and get a burst of energy."

Directions on the package say dieters need only suck on a pop for 30 minutes, three times a day, and drink two, eight-ounce glasses of water with each lollipop.

No exercise. No special diet required.

Pictures the company provided to News 8 show other dieters who've lost weight doing nothing more than eat candy.

The key, the inventor said, is that the Power-Pop ingredients are absorbed much faster than a pill or a liquid.

"You know, why does it work so well and better than anything else? Because you're sucking on it. Because of the delivery system," said Michael Wenniger, CEO of Phoenix-based Fun Unlimited, which sells the product.

UT Southwestern Medical Center dietician Lona Sandon agrees that absorption through the mouth's membranes is very efficient. But she had questions about the ingredients in power pops.

Hoodia, one of the touted ingredients in Power-Pops, comes from an African cactus. While it has worked for centuries to curb appetite when eaten raw, scientists haven't proven it works in supplement (or sucker) form.

"One of the things that are found in this product is something called guarana, which is a caffeine," Sandon said. She added that B vitamins, also listed as ingredients, can help burn calories, but in much higher doses than a lollipop contains.

"My concern is really, is it effective? Is there enough of these ingredients to make a difference? Probably not," Sandon said.

Power-Pops also contain corn syrup and sugar, which make the pop taste good. Eating that sweet stuff several times a day may not be the best habit for someone interested in establishing long-term weight loss habits.

What Sandon said could make these pops work, short term, is the power of suggestion. The structure of keeping the mouth occupied for long periods at a time can also distract dieters from eating.

Power-Pops aren't intended for children, and they're expensive—about a dollar each. A full month's supply would cost close to $90.

E-mail jstjames@wfaa.com