If you've ever taken a look down the supplement aisle at a drugstore, you've likely noticed the vast array of non-prescription weight loss drugs that promise noticeable results. These products, however, aren't all effective and they're not all safe, says MayoClinic.com. Understanding some diet drug basics will help you make a more informed decision when considering such a purchase. It is also wise to consult a physician prior to using these products as they can carry side effects and interact with other medications.
How They Claim to Work
Different non-prescription weight loss drugs claim to work in different ways. Some, including supplements such as chitosan, guar gum and Alli, claim to function by decreasing or blocking the amount of dietary fat your body can absorb, according to MayoClinic.com. Others, such as bitter orange and chromium, claim to boost the amount of calories you burn.
Also, supplements such as Hoodia and green tea extract claim to help you lose weight by decreasing your appetite or increasing your feelings of fullness when you eat, says MayoClinic.com. Some supplements claim to function in multiple ways. For example, conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, purports to help reduce your body fat while helping you build muscle.
Safety Regulations
Weight loss aids fall under the "dietary supplement" umbrella. While dietary supplement manufacturers are responsible for making sure their products are safe, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not approve them for safety before they are sold. If the FDA, however, finds proof that a weight loss supplement is unsafe, it can restrict the supplement from being used or remove it from shelves altogether. You may be at risk of harmful effects from a supplement if it hasn't yet been found harmful. For example, the supplements Ephedra and country mallow were deemed likely unsafe and thus banned after many already suffered ill effects. Also, as of 2010, the supplement Alli is under suspicion for potentially causing liver damage, according to MayoClinic.com.
Level of Effectiveness
The only non-prescription weight loss supplement that has proven effective in aiding with weight loss is Alli, a weaker version of the prescription drug Orlistat, according to MayoClinic.com. Some supplements, including CLA, have some evidence to support their claims of effectiveness, but most other weight loss supplements, including bitter orange, chitosan, chromium, green tea extract and Hoodia, don't have enough evidence to support their claims of effectiveness, according to MayoClinic.com. Some supplements, such as guar gum, are thought to be potentially ineffective.
Warning
A product that is non-prescription and deemed "herbal" or "natural" doesn't necessarily produce effects that are mild. In fact, many weight loss supplements are made up of multiple ingredients such as herbs, vitamins, caffeine and laxatives, according to MayoClinic.com. For this reason, you shouldn't combine weight loss supplements or use them with any other medication without consulting your doctor, warns Judith S. Stern, Sc.D., of the U.C. Davis Health System.
Considerations
Though a non-prescription weight loss pill may aid you in losing weight, it won't solve all of your weight problems. You will still have to burn off more calories than you eat by reducing your caloric intake, getting enough exercise to burn off excess calories or combining both, according to MayoClinic.com. Also, even though non-prescription weight loss pills may help you lose some weight, they won't help you burn off excess weight long-term unless you continue to take them long-term, a potentially impractical and unsafe choice, says MayoClinic.com.
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