Diet pills claim to help you lose weight, but not all are backed by scientific evidence. A health professional may recommend a program that includes diet pills in combination with a change in diet and lifestyle for obese patients. Remember, the only real way to lose unwanted pounds is to burn more calories than you consume daily.
Without a Prescription
Drugstores, supermarkets and health food stores offer a number of over-the-counter weight loss pills without a prescription. These diet pills, used by 7 percent of U.S. adults, according to the New York Times Health Guide, are considered dietary supplements by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Dietary supplements are not subjected to the scientific testing required for prescription medication. Thus, the claims made on the package are based on limited proof and may be followed by disclaimers, explains MayoClinic.com.
Over-the-Counter Diet Pill Ingredients
Use certain of the ingredients commonly found in over-the-counter diet pills with caution, warns the NYT Health Guide. Ephedra, also called ma huang, was available for purchase in the U.S. until May 2004 when it was banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Conjugated linoleic acid may increase the chances of a dangerous inflammatory response in obese people and has no scientific evidence to back its claims. Tiratricol is a thyroid hormone sold for weight loss that may increase your risk of thyroid disorder, heart attack and stroke.
Prescription Diet Pills
Prescription diet pills are not for cosmetic weight loss. Your doctor is unlikely to prescribe weight loss medication unless your body mass index is at least 30, according to information provided by Weight-Control Information Network. If your BMI is 27 and your obesity is accompanied by a health condition like high blood pressure or type II diabetes, you may also qualify.
Dangers of Prescription Diet Pills
Although obesity medications produce mostly mild side effects, patients have reported serious complications, cautions the Weight-Control Information Network. It warns that few long-term studies on the safety and efficacy of weight loss medications have been conducted. For this reason, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have approved these prescription diet pills only for short-term use.
Prescription Appetite Suppressants
The majority of prescription diet pills approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are appetite suppressants. An appetite suppressant either decreases your appetite or increases feelings of fullness. Prescription appetite suppressants include drugs that contain include sibutramine, phentermine, phendimetrazine, and diethylpropion.
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