The Skinny On Weight Loss Pills
Weight loss can be a long, hard road. It means discipline and exercise and cutting out all those delicious, unhealthy treats. That’s why weight loss pills or diet pills can be so appealing. Why go through all the work when you can just pop a pill?
There are hundreds of weight loss pills on the market, each one promising fabulous, quick results. But do any of them really work? Are they worth your hard-earned money? More importantly, are they safe?
Diet pills have become somewhat infamous over the years. Many people feel that they should be avoided altogether. Others feel that buying a weight loss pill or supplement in a reputable pharmacy should make the pill safe and guarantee its effectiveness.
Know the Facts
Diet pills and weight loss supplements work in three specific ways:
- Suppressing the appetite
- Boosting the metabolism
- Preventing the body from absorbing consumed fats
While these may seem to be effective ways of trimming excess weight, the simple fact is this: diet pills generally will do more harm than good. Popping pills simply cannot replace the tried and proven methods of diet and exercise for effective weight loss.
In fact, most of the pills you find online – and even those you find at your pharmacy or grocery store – have little to no proven effectiveness. Diet pills are not held to the same standards as real prescription drugs, so a weight loss product can be put on the market even if it is completely ineffective. The FDA will monitor the safety of products, but many people can be put at risk before a product is recalled or banned.
Know the Products
Now that you understand how weight loss supplements work, here are some of the more popular types on the market. We’ll discuss the theories behind each and the facts on safety and effectiveness.
Prescription Diet Medications:
These should only ever be prescribed in extreme conditions. While these medications are regulated by the FDA, and thus, are held to higher standards, doctors are still wary when it comes to actually prescribing them. These pills are only ever given to people who are severely overweight (or overweight and facing diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol) and need a drastic decrease in food consumption.
If these pills are taken improperly, these pills can actually lead to higher risk of heart attack and stroke.
Non-Prescription Drugs:
Over-the-counter medications work in a variety of ways, as mentioned above. Some block absorption of fat, others decrease appetite, others increase calorie burning. Each of these comes with its own set of problems, however.
Orlistat, for example, works to stop the enzymes that digest fat in food. If your body doesn’t absorb fat, however, you can’t absorb calories either. Your body will also be prevented from absorbing important vitamins from food.
In addition, these diet pills often come with some pretty nasty side effects, including loose stools, oily spotting, upset stomach, insomnia, and even serious liver injury.
Herbal Supplements:
These sound natural, and thus, people are less wary. Bitter orange, for example, is a popular supplement that imitates the natural chemical synephrine, which increases energy and reduces appetite. The body can’t handle that continued flow of chemicals, and can ultimately result in high blood pressure and stroke.
If it’s too good to be true…
All that to say, beware of weight loss supplements that make fancy promises. Know what you’re taking and protect your body from things that will cause greater damage in the long run.
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