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Diet Pills
Diet Pills
Dieting is not easy, even for the most dedicated dieter. Fat is difficult to lose, and most dieters dream about an easier way to lose weight. This is where diet pills come in.
Diet pills are marketed as a quick fix to being overweight—a way to lose fat without having to adjust eating or exercise habits. They can be sold over-the-counter or through prescription, and may either be a chemical or herbal supplement.
Diet pills work in several different ways. Appetite suppressants affect the hypothalamus, found in the brain, and block the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine, which create the feeling of being satiated. Since these chemicals remain in the brain longer, the dieter feels fuller, and so they eat less. Sibutramine, diethylpropion and phentermine are all examples of appetite suppressing diet pills.
Fat-blocking diet pills, on the other hand, prevent enzymes in the body from breaking down fat. This results in the body excreting fat, instead of absorbing it while it is in the intestines. Orlistat is a good example of a fat-blocking diet pill.
Over-the-counter diet pills, on the other hand, use a number of different tactics to maximize weight loss. Ephedra, a stimulant, is often used in over-the-counter pills, in order to both increase energy expending in dieters, while simultaneously reducing appetite. However, over-the-counter diet pills rarely use ephedra anymore, due to the chemical being banned by the FDA in light of evidence that ephedra leads to increased risk of heart attacks. Other over-the-counter diet pills are reputed to slow fat producton and stop the body from absorbing fat, usually with a combination of herbs such as green tea, guar gum and seafood chitin.
One of the reasons diet pills are so popular is that the manufacturers claim their product will result in extremely rapid weight loss. However, the overwhelming majority of these claims are, at best, exaggerated. The most effective diet pills will cause a loss of up to 22 pounds over six months. However, after that time the body becomes tolerant to the drugs. A proper diet and exercise plan is also required, or the weight loss granted by the diet pills will be offset by the weight gain.
Diet pills may also have side-effects. More mild symptoms are headache, insomnia, and constipation. Fat-blocking diet pills can cause diarrhea and cramping, while appetite suppressants can cause high blood pressure and potentially heart attacks. Diet pills can be useful, however, they hardly provide the miraculous and permanent weight loss the manufacturers claim.
