Eating a healthy diet and exercising on a regular basis is the healthiest and most effective method of losing weight, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, if you have an extreme weight problem, you may be able to supplement your current health regimen by taking prescription diet pills. Talk to your doctor if you believe that a prescription pill would be appropriate in your case.
The Right Candidate
Prescription diet pills aren't for patients who want to lose a handful of pounds for cosmetic reasons, says the Weight-control Information Network, or WIN, at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. On the other hand, you may be a candidate if: You have already attempted to shed pounds through exercise and diet and have had no success; your body mass index is at least 30; or if you have a body mass index of at least 27 and you have an obesity-related health problem such as high blood pressure.
Results
If you eat a healthy, low-calorie and if you exercise on a regular basis, your prescription weight loss pills would help you lose 5 percent to 10 percent of your body weight in one year, according to the Mayo Clinic. Most of this weight loss should occur within the first six months of taking the medication and it will ultimately taper off, says the WIN. However, even this small amount of weight loss can have positive health effects such as decreased blood pressure and lowered blood sugars and triglyceride levels, says the Mayo Clinic.
Types
Prescription diet pills come in two main forms: appetite suppressants and lipase inhibitors. Appetite suppressants such as sibutramine and phentermine boost brain chemicals so that you will either feel full faster or have less of an appetite, according to the WIN. Lipase inhibitors such as orlistat block an enzyme that breaks down dietary fat, decreasing your ability to absorb the fat you take in through diet by approximately one third, says the WIN.
Off-Label Prescriptions
Not all drugs doctors prescribe for weight loss are FDA-approved as diet pills. Some medications intended to treat other conditions also happen to promote weight loss, so doctors prescribe them off-label, says the WIN. Some depression medications are thought to help suppress appetite and some seizure and diabetes medications are also thought to result in some weight loss for reasons that are still being uncovered, according to the WIN.
Side Effects
All diet pills, even those offered by doctors, come with potential side effects. Common diet prescription pill side effects include: headaches, irritability, dry mouth, nervousness, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, nervousness and sleep problems, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. The drug orlistat may also cause problems such as gas, uncontrollable bowel movements, oily stools and liver injury, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.
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