If you have a few pounds to lose, your doctor, nutritionist or personal trainer will advise you to combine a healthy diet with daily exercise or physical activity. For some, losing weight is a battle, and for others, it is a war. Don't wave your white flag just yet. Over the years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved weight-loss pills designed to help you reach your goal weight when combined with healthy eating and exercise habits.
Diethylpropion
Diethylpropion is an FDA-approved prescription weight-loss aid and should only be used for 12 weeks or less. It works by suppressing the appetite and leads to caloric restriction. You take regular diethylpropion tablets three times daily, approximately one hour before meals. If your doctor prescribes extended-release tablets, you take one dose mid-morning. This medication may contribute to a weekly weight loss of less than 1 lb. per week in adults when combined with a low-calorie, healthy diet and exercise.
Orlistat
Orlistat is also approved by the FDA for use as a weight-loss aid. It blocks fat absorption, and excess fat is then excreted in the stool, reducing the number of calories the body absorbs. It is available as a prescription-strength medication under the commercial name Xenical and as an over-the-counter medication called Alli. Both medications are known for causing oily spotting and stools. Alli, which is half the strength of Xenical, is currently under investigation for causing liver damage. MayoClinic.com notes using Xenical for one year, you can expect a weight loss of 5 to 7 lbs.; those using Alli may see a weight loss of 3 to 5 lbs. in one year over and above the weight you lose through calorie restriction and exercise.
Phentermine
Phentermine is approved by the FDA and acts as an appetite suppressant and metabolism stimulant. Phentermine is primarily prescribed for overweight or obese patients with conditions related to obesity, such as diabetes or high cholesterol. In 2005 "Yonsei Medical Journal" published a study involving 34 female and male subjects. The participants took 37.5 mg of phentermine hydrochloride daily and demonstrated an average weight loss of 16.5 lbs. during the 14-week trial. According to Drugs.com, phentermine has been linked to serious lung damage. Consult your doctor before taking any additional medications when taking phentermine.
Possible Side Effects
Like other medications, diet pills have possible side effects. Stimulant diet pills like phentermine stimulate the central nervous system to increase metabolism. As a result, you may experience dizziness, severe headache, restlessness, nervousness, euphoria and psychosis. Stimulants can also increase your resting heart rate above normal, a condition known as tachycardia, or produce an arrhythmia, which is an irregular heartbeat that can be fatal if not corrected. Orlistat has been linked to liver damage and failure, causing jaundice characterized by a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. According to the FDA, between April 1999 and August 2009, 40 million people worldwide used Xenical or Alli as a weight loss aid. Thirteen cases of severe liver injury have reported involving patients using these two medications. Of the 13 cases, 12 were foreign and one was in the U.S. Two patients died as a result of liver failure and three required liver transplantation. Diethylpropion has been linked to several side effects including a reduced libido or impotence, hair loss, muscle pain, intestinal upset, dry mouth and nervousness. Consult your physician to assess your risk of side effects before using any diet pill. To be on the safe side, ask your doctor if he can prescribe a weight-loss aid that meets your needs.
References
- Weight-control Information Network; Prescription Medications for the Treatment of Obesity; December 2010
- Drugs.com: Phentermine
- "Yonsei Medical Journal"; Effects on Weight Reduction and Safety of Short-Term Phentermine Administration in Korean Obese People; Kyoung Kon Kim, et al.; October 2006
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Questions and Answers: Orlistat and Severe Liver Injury; May 2010
- DailyMed: Tepanil (Diethylpropion Hydrochloride) Tablet, Extended Release; July 2006
- MayoClinic.com; Alli Weight-Loss Pill: Does it Work?; June 2010
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