Weight loss is all about diet and exercise, but that doesn't mean you can't get a little help. Over-the-counter diet pills might be a good tool, but it's important to remember that no dietary guidelines exist regarding supplements. This means products haven't been tested or approved by the FDA and you are taking them at your own risk. While you can try these supplements, remember that they're not a substitute for medical help, good eating and lots of physical activity.
Alli
Alli is the nonprescription version of the drug orlistat, sold under the brand name Xenical. Alli is a fat blocker. This means a percentage of the fat you consume cannot be digested and instead passes through your body directly. This can result in side effects like oily discharge, diarrhea and urgent bowel movements. Alli will cause some weight loss, but since you're also supposed to diet and exercise while taking the pills, most of the weight loss will be due to your lifestyle changes.
Conjugated Linoleic acid (CLA)
According to MayoClinic.com, CLA is one of the few over-the-counter diet pills tha might be effective. Because very few studies have been conducted on the efficacy and safety of all diet pills, it's impossible to say what really works. However, a preliminary study by researcher Peter Jones at the McGill University in Canada showed that CLA might be effective in preventing fat from being stored in the body. The 2004 study, published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," points out that CLA doesn't seem to reduce body weight although it does reduce body fat.
Hoodia
MayoClinic.com classifies Hoodia as one of the pills that hasn't been properly studied. Because of this, not much is known about it. According to eMedTV, the only known study on Hoodia was conducted by a supplement manufacturer, which concluded that Hoodia affects appetite, causing people to eat less and see a decrease in their body fat. The study was never published and received no peer reviews, so it's impossible to say whether the information on it is accurate.
Other Pills
A number of other products are sold over the counter as weight loss aids. These include bitter orange, chitosan, chromium, green tea extract and guar gum. According to MayoClinic.com, all these have been deemed as "possibly ineffective." More studies are needed to see whether any of these pills has any real effect on weight loss. Although most of these pills are likely to be safe if taken in the recommended dosage, Ephedra and country mallow are banned by the FDA for its dangerous effects on humans.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Over-the-Counter Weight-Loss Pills: Do They Work?
- Nutrition Action Healthletter: Weight Loss in a Bottle?
- eMedTV: Does Hoodia Work?
- MayoClinic.com: Alli
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition;" Dietary Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Body Composition. Yanwen Wang and Peter JH Jones. 2004.
Member Comments