Shots & Pills For Weight Loss

The best way to lose weight is through a healthy diet and exercise, but for many people the lure of quick and easy weight loss from diet pills and shots is hard to resist. A number of weight loss pills are sold at drugstores, supermarkets and health food stores. In addition, shots and prescription medicines for weight loss are available from physicians and weight loss clinics.

Significance

More than two-thirds of adult Americans are overweight, as of 2010, and one-third are obese, according to the Weight Control Information Network, or WIN, a National Institutes of Health website. The use of prescription weight loss medicines may be appropriate for some people who are overweight or obese, according to WIN.

Plus, non-prescription diet aids are readily available, notes James Day, M.D., an obesity doctor and medical director of the Colorado Center for Weight Management in Denver. In 2007, the FDA approved an over-the-counter medicine for weight loss known as Alli. By 2010, sales more than doubled to $293 million, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal's May 27, 2010 issue. Additionally, many weight loss clinics offer vitamin shots and injections of HCG, a hormone produced during pregnancy that may aid weight loss, Dr. Day adds.

Benefits

The Mayo Clinic states prescription weight loss drugs produce an average weight loss of 5 to 10 percent of total body weight when combined with a low-calorie diet and exercise. Losing this amount of weight may not seem like much, but the Mayo Clinic indicates even modest weight loss can improve health by decreasing blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Weight loss may also have cosmetic benefits and boost self esteem in overweight individuals, Day points out. Plus, just a small amount of weight loss can motivate some people to start eating better and exercising to slim down even more, Day notes. Weight loss medicines in the form of shots and over-the-counter pills claim to give quick results.

Types

There are several types of weight loss pills and shots. Appetite suppressants are one type of diet pill. The most commonly prescribed appetite suppressants in the United States are phentermine and sibutramine, according to WIN. Lipase inhibitors, such as the drug orlistat, are another type of prescription diet pill. Orlistat works by reducing the body's ability to absorb dietary fat. Alli is a reduced-strength form of orlistat that is sold without a prescription.The Mayo Clinic lists many supplements that are sold over-the-counter for weight loss including bitter orange, chromium, green tea extract, heartleaf and hoodia. Weight loss shots include vitamin B-12 and HCG injections, which supposedly aid weight loss by boosting metabolism, according to Day.

Considerations

Weight loss pills and shots aren't a cure-all for obesity and overweight issues. They don't replace the need for a healthy diet and regular exercise. Although prescription weight loss pills may sound like an easy road to a slimmer body, the Mayo Clinic indicates that they aren't appropriate for everyone. Cost is another consideration. The Mayo Clinic notes that not all health insurance plans cover prescription diet medicines. Also keep in mind that over-the-counter diet pills and weight loss aids aren't subject to the same rigorous safety standards as prescription diet pills. Once they are on the market, however, the FDA can take steps to ban or recall dangerous products.

Warning

The Mayo Clinic warns that most over-the-counter diet pills haven't been proved effective and some can be downright dangerous. A few, including the diet pills Ephedra and "fen/phen," have been banned by the FDA due to health concerns. Prescription weight loss medicines can have health risks too. In 2010, reports of serious liver damage in people taking orlistat emerged and the FDA began reviewing its safety. Moreover, Meridia, another prescription diet drug, was removed from the market by the FDA in 2010 due to the risk of heart problems. The Mayo Clinic advises doing your homework if you're considering weight loss drugs. Read labels, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, and check the FDA web site for alerts about safety concerns.