Slimming pills is the latest term for pharmaceutical based weight loss substances, both over the counter and prescription. There has been much written about the dangers of diet pills but the term 'slimming' pills seems less offensive. No matter what you call them, there are many complications associated with the use of pharmaceutical based weight loss products. The FDA requested recalls of 69 products - and the list is growing.
Considerations
The most effective way to loose weight is to take in fewer calories than you burn. This action combined with exercise and a healthy, balanced diet will help you loose weight safely - and keep it off. Changing your habit of over eating is akin to quitting smoking or drinking alcohol excessively. It requires behavior modification and a long term commitment to a plan for healthy living. Slimming pills can help you loose a few pounds but without modifying your diet, the loss will be temporary. Plus, many of the pills have dangerous side effects.
Tainted Pills
Over the years the FDA has analyzed over the counter slimming pills and found them to contain substances that did not appear on their list of ingredients. The FDA has found troublesome levels of sibutramine, a controlled substance; rimonbant, not approved for use in the United States; phenytoin, a medicine used to treat seizures; phenolpthalein, suspected of causing cancer; and bumetanide which is a diuretic. In some of the pills tested, the amount of active pharmaceutical substance found exceeded the FDA recommended levels. Use of these pills puts your health at risk.
Cardiac Side Effects
Judith Stern, Sc.D a professor of Nutrition and Internal Medicine at UC Davis, warns of the problems associated with slimming pills and your heart. Sibutramine brand name Merida can raise your blood pressure and affect you heart. If you have heart disease, had a stroke or have heart rhythm abnormalities you must avoid this pill. It is prescription only but the FDA did find it as unlisted component of over the counter weight loss agents. This makes their use even more dangerous because you may have no idea what is actually in the slimming pill you are taking.
G.I. Upset
Another type of weight loss drug helps reduce the amount of fat absorbed in your intestine. An example of this is the medication Orlistat. It is also available over the counter in a preparation called Ali. Both these slimming pills can cause GI upset including diarrhea. A study reported by the BBC conducted by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence revealed that individuals using the drug lost little more weight over a year than did those taking only a placebo.
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