Weight Loss Drugs - For Relief of Obesity

Weight loss drugs are designed for the treatment of obesity, a chronic disease with serious health risks, which justifies the use of weight loss pharmaceuticals despite well known side effects and health risks. Weight loss medications are NOT designed for cosmetic weight loss.

Weight Loss Diet Supplements

As well as prescription drugs, there are many diet supplements that are sold over the counter to assist weight control. These weight loss supplements are not regulated by the FDA in the same way as weight loss drugs. They do not need FDA approval (unless they contain a new ingredient) and the manufacturers are themselves responsible for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of their weight loss pills. They are also responsible for disclosing all side-effects and health problems of their weight loss supplements.

Weight Loss Supplements - "Natural" or "Herbal" Not Always Safe

Just because a weight loss supplement claims to contain herbal or natural sounding ingredients, this does not imply greater safety. The 'natural' ingredient ephedra (ephedrine, ma huang) has been implicated, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in hundreds of illnesses, including: heart attacks, seizures and strokes. Ephedra compounds have powerful and potentially lethal stimulant effects on the central nervous system and the heart. There are several other high-risk 'natural' or 'herbal' ingredients that appear in weight loss supplements.

Weight Loss Pills - Little Testing

In general, weight-loss pills have been subjected to very little long-term testing. Research indicates that risks of weight loss drugs like fenfluramine, phentermine, and dexfenfluramine may increase dramatically the longer the drugs are used. In addition, the drugs produce minimal weight loss, and upon discontinuing the use of any of the drugs, the weight is virtually always regained. Further, anecdotal evidence suggests that impatient consumers eager to speed weight loss frequently take multiple, more dangerous doses of weight-loss drugs. Vulnerable consumers have also been misled and harmed by unregulated herbal, so-called "natural," weight-loss drugs.

Weight Loss Pills - Do They Work

Medically supervised drug treatment programs to relieve obesity definitely produce results, but clinical tests show that lasting weight loss - even for clinically obese patients - is not possible by using weight loss pills alone. Such medication should be combined with physical activity and improved diet to lose and maintain weight successfully over the long term.

Weight Loss Pills are No Magic Bullet

Most experts continue to advise that weight loss pills are NOT a magic solution to weight control. In order to lose weight successfully, without regain, you must combine weight loss medications with a sensible diet and exercise program. In fact, if you check the literature accompanying most weight loss supplements, it often states that effective weight loss or sustained weight control is not possible by taking the weight loss pills by themselves.
Despite spending millions of dollars on pills, supplements and other weight loss medications, obesity rates continue to soar. 58 million Americans are overweight; 40 million are obese and 3 million suffer from life-threatening obesity. Furthermore, 8 out of 10 over 25's are overweight and there has been a 76% increase in Type II diabetes in adults 30-40 yrs old since 1990.
"There are no shortcuts - no magic pills," says Lori Love, M.D., Ph.D., of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Losing weight sensibly and safely requires a multifaceted approach that includes setting reasonable weight-loss goals, changing eating habits, and getting adequate exercise. Diet pills, supplements, appetite suppressants, "fat-burners" or other products may help some people over the short term, but they are not a substitute for adopting healthful eating habits over the long term.

Weight Loss Pills & Supplements - Play Safe!

Whatever type of weight loss pills you are interested in - prescription-only weight loss drugs, or weight loss supplements - you must consult your doctor. Ask for a full explanation of the side effects and dangers of the weight loss pills you are considering.
Note: taking diet or weight loss drugs is not usually considered appropriate if:

You are pregnant or breastfeeding
You have a history of drug or alcohol abuse
You have a history of an eating disorder
You have a history of severe depression or manic-depressive disorder
You are taking a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor or any other type of anti-depressant medication
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.

Weight Loss Pills - Side Effects Warning

If you are taking any weight loss drugs, medications, diet supplements or any other kind of weight control pills and you suffer from any unusual symptoms or side-effects, stop talking the pills and see your doctor.
In particular, watch out for these weight loss pills side effects:
Nervousness, restlessness, insomnia, high blood pressure, fatigue and hyperactivity, heart arrhythmias and palpitations, congestive heart failure or heart attack, stroke, headaches, dry mouth, vomitting and diarrhea or constipation, intestinal disturbances, tightness in chest, tingling in extremities, excessive persperation, dizziness, disruption in mentrual cycle, change in sex drive, depression, hair loss, blurred vision, fever and urinary tract problems.
Sources:
Diet & Weight Loss Pills Information
Weight Control Information Network (WIN)
Weight Loss Information
Vegetarian Diet

Weight Loss Pills