There are many diet pills to choose from on the market that suppress the appetite, satisfy hunger more quickly or increase metabolism. In the United States, they fall under two major categories, those that are approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and those that are not.
The FDA approved diet pills are prescribed only for those suffering from obesity. They are generally only prescribed when it is absolutely necessary, when the weight issue is severe and other options have been exhausted. These pills themselves only help to suppress the appetite and must be used in conjunction with a diet and exercise program. All of the diet pills approved by the FDA (except for one called Sibutramine) are only prescribed for short term use. There main aim is to assist a person entering an exercise and diet regime for the purposes of healthy long term weight loss.
Non-prescription diet pills lack regulation and should be considered with caution. Many are advertised with wild claims sounding very similar to those made by some FAD diets. Even though these types of pills are available over the counter, you must still seek advice from your doctor. Your doctor, with knowledge of your medical status and history can give you valuable advice on what you should not take and what may actually help you.
Diet pills are essentially a drug with ingredients that can sometimes react unexpectedly and dangerously. One ingredient that is found in most diet pills is amphetamine-type stimulants. Just like any drug, people have even been known to overdose or suffer side effects including nervousness, tremor, diarrhea, bulging eyes, racing heartbeat, elevated blood pressure and even heart failure.There are some diets pills, even those FDA approved, that were later withdrawn from the market. This is one reason why care by the doctor and patient is paramount before diet pills are seriously considered, usually as a last resort. Some diet pills may also react adversely with other medication, even cold, hay fever or sinus medication.
There are side effects that have not been attributed to diet pills due to there not being sufficient proof.
You must not take diet pills without accompanying them with a healthy change in your diet and activity levels. Doing so will not only result in unfavourable results but increase the chances of adverse side effects.
Natural: is a word that’s thrown around as a selling point for just about anything and diet pills are no exception. The word “herbal” too is one that seems to appeal to many people but it’s extremely important to realise that it’s still a drug and that most still contain ingredients like amphetamine-type stimulants.
Essentially, diet pills and supplements are a multi-billion dollar industry where money is probably more the focus then the health of the community. Approved pills may be suitable for some obese individuals but the range of over the counter diet pills lack regulation. The claims and side effects of most these diet pills are still largely unsubstantiated and shrouded in controversy.
Dieting through sensible eating and exercising is difficult but it's also the safest and healthiest way to lose and maintain weight in the long term. Unfortunately many people are disenchanted by the struggles that the healthy approach can present and turn to quick, easy fixes.
It's very important for people to understand why they want to lose weight. The first thing you need to do is speak to your doctor to establish your current position. Then you can go through your options and discuss different approaches and what you can realistically expect over what period of time.