Americans spend $40 billion on weight-loss programs and products each year, according to "Business Week." If you're desperate to drop pounds fast, you may be tempted to drop some cash on diet pills. However, before you invest in Ephedra, Alli or Merida, stop to consider what these pills may do to your health.
Dangers of Ephedra
The Food and Drug Administration banned the sale of Ephedra, a popular weight-loss supplement, in 2004, though it remains available via the Internet. According to the FDA, products containing Ephedra raise blood pressure, stress the circulatory system and increase the risk of heart problems and stoke. The FDA has also documented psychiatric effects. According to an article in "The Primary Care Companion to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry," Ephredra use can cause Ephedrine-Induced Psychosis.
Dangers of Alli
Alli, an FDA-approved, over-the-counter weight-loss drug, is available in most supermarkets and drug stores. As of February of 2010, the FDA was looking into reports of a link between this drug and liver damage, says MayoClinic.com.
There is, however, another danger: counterfeiting. In January of 2010, the FDA issued a consumer warning that counterfeit versions of Alli were being sold by online retailers. Counterfeit versions, according to the FDA, contain sibutramine, a weight-loss drug which can only be safely used under the supervision of a physician. If you decide to try Alli, the FDA advises that you buy from a reputable brick-and-mortar store, not over the Internet.
Dangers of Merida
Merida, a popular prescription weight-loss drug, has come under scrutiny for possibly increasing the risk of nonfatal heart attacks. Preliminary trials, funded by the drug's manufacturer and published in the September 2010 issue of "New England Journal of Medicine," showed that those taking the drug had a 28 percent greater risk of a nonfatal heart attack than those taking a placebo. One of the study authors, however, pointed out that the only people who actually experienced heart attacks were those who already had heart disease and should not have been taking the drug at all.
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Ephedra Ban: No Shortage of Reasons
- Mayo Clinic: Over-the-Counter Weight-Loss Pills: Do They Work?
- US Food and Drug Administration: Warning: Counterfeit Alli
- Medline Plus: Diet Pill Merida Ups Heart Attack Risk
- Consumer Reports Health Blog: More Weight-Loss Supplements Added to FDA Warning List
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