Final Word Of Caution:
As a precaution, people of all ages, must consult their doctors first before they take any diet pills.
People try out all kinds of methods to lose weight. There are millions of people worldwide who fall under the category of obesity. But as they do not follow a disciplined life style and a balanced diet with regular exercise they are unable to lose weight. This makes them look for short cut methods to lose fat and reduce obesity. The alluring advertisement of the pharma industry attract these people and they flock to buy these diet pills for quick weight loss.
Are these diet pills effective? Yes they work but for some people. It has been observed that these pills work differently for different people. However, the scientific data supports that the diet pills have substances that can really help the individuals shed the weight off and they are very effective in doing that. Therefore a lot of people, in other words, millions of people try these diet pills and have found them to be working for them the best.
The Bottom Line
We have discussed different aspects of diet pills in great detail and it must be realized that diet pills alone cannot do a miracle, for this purpose you need to have a proper diet and exercise plan that would enable you to lose weight at a fast pace and help you achieve your goals in the least possible time.
But it is important to know about what are the ways of losing weight. Many try to combat obesity through doing physical exercise and balance diets. This is the right and appreciable method and way to loss weight naturally.
There are a majority of people inclined towards taking weight loss pills without knowing the literature and side effects of the pills. It has been witnessed that people taking weight loss pills have serious side effects.
Oily spotting in the body
Flatus with discharge
Oily and fatty stool
Fecal urgency
Increased defecation
Oily evacuation
Fecal incontinence
Medicine companies come out with strange and different types of weight loss pills without proper scientific drug research and these companies claim that their weight loss pills are best result oriented and authentically certified by FDA (Food and Drug Administration).
Guide to Prescription Weight Loss Drugs
The purpose of this guide is to provide information on popular prescription weight loss drugs. Information here is from the MEDLINEplus, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and US Food and Drug Administration government websites.
For obese people who have difficulty losing weight through diet and exercise alone, there are a number of FDA-approved prescription drugs that may help. "On average, individuals who use weight loss drugs lose about 5 percent to 10 percent of their original weight, though some will lose less and some more," says the FDA's Colman.
All of the prescription weight loss drugs work by suppressing the appetite except for Xenical (orlistat). Approved by the FDA in 1999, Xenical is the first in a new class of anti-obesity drugs known as lipase inhibitors. Lipase is the enzyme that breaks down dietary fat for use by the body. Xenical interferes with lipase function, decreasing dietary fat absorption by 30 percent. Because the undigested fats are not absorbed, fewer calories are available to the body. This may help in controlling weight. The main side effects of Xenical are cramping, diarrhea, flatulence, intestinal discomfort, and leakage of oily stool.
Meridia (sibutramine), approved by the FDA in 1997, increases the levels of certain brain chemicals that help reduce appetite. Because it may increase blood pressure and heart rate, Meridia should not be used by people with uncontrolled high blood pressure, a history of heart disease, congestive heart failure, irregular heartbeat, or stroke. Other common side effects of Meridia include headache, dry mouth, constipation and insomnia.
Other anti-obesity prescription drugs that were approved by the FDA many years ago based on very short-term, limited data include: Bontril (phendimetrazine tartrate), Desoxyn (methamphetamine) and Ionamin and Adipex-P (phentermine). They are "speed"-like drugs that should not be used by people with heart disease, high blood pressure, an overactive thyroid gland, or glaucoma. These drugs are approved only for short-term use, such as a few weeks. They generally don't cause weight loss beyond several weeks, and they have significant potential for physical dependence or addiction.
"There is no magic pill for obesity," says David Orloff, M.D., director of the FDA's Division of Metabolic and Endocrine Drug Products. "The best effect you're going to get is with a concerted long-term regimen of diet and exercise. If you choose to take a drug along with this effort, it may provide additional help."
Until September 1997, two other drugs, fenfluramine (Pondimin and others) and dexfenfluramine (Redux), were available for treating obesity. But at the FDA's request, the manufacturers of these drugs voluntarily withdrew them from the market after newer findings suggested that they were the likely cause of heart valve problems. The FDA recommended that people taking the drugs stop and that they contact their doctor to discuss their treatment. (For the latest information on this topic, visit www.fda.gov/cder/news/feninfo.htm.)
Prescription weight loss drugs are approved only for those with a BMI of 30 and above, or 27 and above if they have other risk factors, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
All said and done you should contact a doctor before using any kind of drug, including a weight loss drug.
