For many people, weight loss is a struggle, and oftentimes a losing battle--if it were easy, there wouldn't be so many pills, programs and diets hocked in an effort to cash in on the battle against weight. A number of diet pills claim to be able to cause weight loss, and many of these pills approach this challenge in different ways. But diet pill information can be difficult to find from a reliable source, and education about these drugs is important to avoid wasting money--and hurting your body.
Function
Different diet pills work in different ways. Alli, one of the most popular diet pills available in the American market, works by blocking the absorption of dietary fat into your body, forcing it to be released through your stool. Others aim to boost metabolism, suppress appetite and build muscle, in various combinations.
Availability
People can purchase many diet drugs in department or grocery stores. Others are available through online stores. These are easier to find than prescription drugs because the standards for FDA approval aren't as stringent. However, even though they are on the market, it is still possible for the FDA to announce a recall and have the supplement taken off the shelves if deemed unsafe or possibly unsafe.
Effectiveness
Only Alli has been proven through research to be effective, according to the Mayo Clinic. It lists two other diet pills as possibly effective: ephedra and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Unfortunately, ephedra is banned by the FDA due to health risks when ingested. Six diet pills are awaiting a verdict from medical research, and one, guar gum, has preliminary research suggesting it may be an ineffective diet pill.
Safety
While Alli is the only diet pill confirmed to work, its availability in the United States is at risk--the FDA is currently investigating reports that the diet pill causes damage to the liver, which could cause it to be pulled from U.S. stores and banned. It would join ephedra and country mallow as diet drugs that are deemed so unsafe as to be banned from the American market. In fact, only guar gum and chromium have been determined through research to be likely safe, but guar gum is believed to be ineffective. Preliminary research suggests CLA, green tea extract and chitosan may be safe, although the efficacy of the latter two is unknown. Bitter orange has shown in early research to be potentially unsafe, and the safety of hoodia is unknown.
Expert Insight
Although people can try diet pills to help them lose weight, they aren't a cure-all drug--many of them require dietary changes to be effective, and they may need to be taken continuously if you want the weight to stay off, which can be dangerous, according to the Mayo Clinic. Unfortunately, using diet pills won't lead to any more significant--or healthy--weight loss than making changes to your diet and lifestyle by reducing calorie consumption and meal portion sizes, and integrating exercise into your routine.
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