If your diet isn't cutting it, you might try an over-the-counter weight loss supplement or ask your doctor about prescription weight loss pills. However, not all slimming tablets are proven to help you lose weight, and the ones that do work are not typically foolproof. Weigh your options' potential limitations and pitfalls before you invest in using slimming tablets.
Effects
Over-the-counter tablets may help you lose small amounts of weight in one or many ways, depending on the primary ingredients. Makers of the FDA-approved supplement Alli assert that the pills help you lose weight by decreasing the amount of dietary fat your body can absorb. Makers of other over-the-counter pills, which aren't approved by the FDA, may also claim that their products work by reducing fat absorption. Alternately, they may claim their products help reduce your appetite, increase your metabolism or increase your feelings of fullness. Prescription tablets may help you lose 5 to 10 percent of your body fat by suppressing your appetite or blocking some absorption of dietary fat, according to the Weight-control Information Network.
Considerations
Most over-the-counter weight loss tablets haven't been proven effective and some could harm you. The FDA doesn't monitor weight loss supplements in the same way it monitors prescription drugs, meaning supplement manufacturers can sell products without proving the effectiveness or safety of their products. If you still want to lose weight and you are wary of over-the-counter products, you may not be the right candidate for prescription weight loss medications. You must have a body mass index, or BMI, in the "obese" range, or have a body mass index in the upper "overweight" category and have an obesity-related health condition such as diabetes to qualify, according to MedlinePlus.
Side Effects
Supplements' side effects vary depending on their intended function. The supplement chitosan, which is a type of fiber, may cause bloating, diarrhea and gas. Products that contain caffeine, such as green tea extracts, may naturally lead to side effects such as insomnia and anxiety. Prescription pills aren't without their share of potential risks, however. The drug Orlistat, for example, may lead to diarrhea, gas, intestinal pain and leakage of oily stool and appetite suppressants may lead to nervousness and euphoria, according to MedlinePlus.
Safety Concerns
Although the FDA doesn't require dietary supplements to meet rigorous standards prior to being sold, the FDA does have the power to ban supplements that prove harmful later down the line. For example, the FDA has banned the supplements ephedra and country mallow after deeming them likely unsafe. As of 2010, the FDA has also banned the prescription weight loss pill sibutramine after finding it increases risk of heart attacks and strokes.
The Bottom Line
Neither over-the-counter weight loss tablets nor prescription weight loss tablets will solve your weight problems for you. Some may help you reach your goal, but you will also have to put in effort to pare down your caloric intake, burn off extra calories through exercise and maintain the weight loss once you stop taking pills.
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