Weight Loss Diet Pills
Xenical - Prescription Weight Loss Pills
A relatively recent prescription weight loss drug, Xenical (active
ingredient Orlistat) is one of a class of anti-obesity weight
loss pills called lipase inhibitors, or fat blockers. Fat from
food can only be absorbed into the body after being digested in
the intestines by lipase enzymes. By inhibiting the action of
these lipase enzymes, Xenical prevents the intestinal absorption
of fat by 30%. Weight loss pills like Xenical work in the intestinal
tract and do not affect brain chemistry. Thus, Xenical should
have minimal side effects in other parts of the body.
Studies show Xenical users can lose about 10 percent of their
initial weight over the course of the year, but because fat can't
be digested diarrhea is common if the user does not follow a low-fat
diet while taking the weight loss pills. Weight loss and reduced
fat-absorption may be definite benefits, but Xenical also reduces
absorption of essential fat-soluble vitamins. So if you are thinking
of buying Xenical pills for your weight loss problem, be sure
to take extra vitamins A, D, E, K and beta-carotene.
Meridia - Prescription Weight Loss Pills
Meridia (active ingredient Sibutramine), is one of the newest
types of prescription weight loss pills. It is used for both weight
loss and weight maintenance. Meridia suppresses appetite by increasing
the amount of neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine in
the brain synapses. Unlike other diet drugs (e.g. fenfluramine,
dexfenfluramine) Meridia does not increase release of these neurotransmitters
from the cells. Instead, Meridia inhibits the re-uptake of these
neurotransmitters by the nerve cells. Therefore, the action of
Meridia is not unlike that of anti-depressants that inhibit re-uptake
of serotonin. Many of these anti-depressant pills have been used
for years without known links to pulmonary hypertension or heart
valve damage.
Studies have shown that Meridia can help people lose weight and
maintain the loss but the weight loss may plateau after about
a year at about ten percent of starting weight.
However, like all prescription weight loss pills, Meridia has
side effects. The drug may raise blood pressure and heart rate.
So despite it's beneficial effects for weight loss Meridia remains
a controversial weight loss drug.
In fact, there are reports that even before it approved Meridia
as a prescription weight loss drug, the FDA was concerned about
it's safety. An FDA advisory committee in 1997 voted 5-4 that
the benefits of the diet drug did not outweigh its risks for heart
problems.
Other Prescription Weight Loss Pills
The following weight loss appetite suppressants are also available
by prescription.
Diethylpropion (trade names Tenuate and Dospan)
Phendimetrazine (trade names Bontirl, Plegine, Prelu-2 and X-Trozine)
Phentermine (trade names Fastin, Ionamin and Oby-trim)
Note: the FDA has approved these weight loss pills or appetite
suppressants for short term use only. Also, most of these appetite-suppressing
weight loss pills stop working quite quickly. Within 3-12 weeks
the brain develops a tolerance for their action. Only Meridia
weight loss pills are intended for long term use.
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Weight Loss Pills
Over-the-counter weight loss and diet pills are less regulated
than FDA approved prescription weight loss drugs. These over-the-counter
weight loss pills and herbal supplements often contain amphetamine-like
active ingredients.
These ingredients act as stimulants which theoretically raise
metabolism and help the body break down fat. Nevertheless, despite
claims by pill-manufacturers, the use of OTC weight loss products
alone rarely causes long term weight loss.
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Also known as 'diet pills,' weight loss pills are basically capsules
filled with herbs, chemicals and 'natural additives' that promise
to help you lose weight. But what's in these pills is not always
what you want to put into your body; the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) rarely approves all the ingredients and has a hard time
tracking and banning the ones that do exist.
Read on for the truth behind weight loss pills:
- A lot of weight loss pills contain large amounts of caffeine,
which acts as a diuretic and will briefly speed up your heart
rate. The caffeine can make you jittery and have serious effects
on those who already suffer from hypertension; caffeine should
never be taken for long periods of time as this increases the
risk of addiction, headaches and heart arrhythmia.
- The ingredients in some weight loss pills have been proven
to damage various organs and cause health problems. The popular
chemical enhancer ephedrine was blamed for Rashidi Wheeler 's
collapse and heart failure in August 2001; the Northwestern
University football player ingested an ephedra-based sports
drink before working out with his team and the stimulant was
too much for his body to handle
Pills that promise 'all natural' and 'herbal' ingredients should
be approached with caution as these rarely contain any substances
that have been tested and approved by the FDA, meaning these pills
simply do not work or worse, that they are not appropriate for
human consumption.
Side Effects of Diet & Weight Loss Pills
The side effects of prescription weight loss pills varies according
to the subject's health, lifestyle (including diet), the type
of weight loss drug, whether it is taken in combination with another
weight loss pill, and other factors. Length of use of weight loss
pills is another factor. Side effects of weight loss pills can
be harmful or even life-threatening.
The side-effects of less regulated over-the-counter weight loss
pills and diet supplements can be especially severe as labelling
and dosage requirements for these pills are too lax to guarantee
consumer safety. For example, herbal diet pills were given to
dieters at a weight loss clinic in Belgium. Within 3 years, more
than 100 dieters had kidney damage. Ten years later, several people
who took these weight loss pills are developing urinary tract
cancers.
Weight Loss Pills - Specific Side Effects
These may include: Nervousness, restlessness, insomnia, high
blood pressure, heart arrhythmias and palpitations, congestive
heart failure or heart attack, stroke, headaches, dry mouth, vomitting
and diarrhea or constipation, and more. Overdoses can cause tremors,
confusion, hallucinations, renal failure and heart attack.
Get Advice BEFORE taking any Weight Loss Pills
If you want to take weight loss drugs or diet pills, please consult
your doctor first. Many weight loss pills, especially over-the-counter
varieties are useless, or dangerous, or both.
Herbal Weight Loss Pills Can be Equally Dangerous
In 2001, FDA issued a nationwide alert on the recall of thirteen
herbal weight loss pills because of potential damage to the kidneys.
Testing of Diet & Weight Loss Pills
Weight-loss pills have been subjected to very little testing.
Almost no long-term studies have been produced. Research indicates
that the risks of diet and weight loss pills may increase dramatically
the longer they are used. In addition, on their own, many pills
produce minimal weight loss. Indeed, studies show that while certain
diet pills may assist weight loss in the short term, they are
not effective in the long term. Only a healthy lifestyle which
includes sensible eating and exercise can achieve lasting weight
control.
Weight Loss Pills Suitability. Weight loss drugs or supplements
are not for you if:
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding
- You have a history of drug, alcohol abuse, or eating disorders
- You have a history of severe depression or manic-depressive
disorder
- You get migraine headaches and take medication for them
- You have an unstable medical condition, such as glaucoma,
diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease or a heart condition
such as an irregular heartbeat.
Are Your Diet or Weight Loss Pills Working?
After you've been on your weight loss medication for about 4 weeks
your doctor should schedule another visit to see whether the weight
loss pills are working and evaluate their impact on your overall
health. A weight loss of one pound per week is considered working.
If the weight loss pills don't work in the first three to six
weeks of treatment despite adjustments in dosage, chances are
good that the diet or weight loss drug will never work for you.
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