The struggle to lose weight leads some people to turn to diet pills, either over-the-counter products or prescription medications such as Adipex. While these diet pills may work for some people, all diet pills have the potential for side effects. There is also a risk of re-gaining the weight you've lost once you stop taking the pills. For best results, consult your doctor and combine a diet and exercise program with short-term diet pill usage.
Adipex
Adipex is one brand name for the drug phentermine hydrochloride, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use as a diet aid. Phentermine acts much like amphetamines, increasing your heart rate, raising blood pressure and decreasing your appetite. In studies, people successfully lost weight while taking phentermine, primarily because they ate less. Adipex is available only by prescription and is designed to be used short term, for only a few weeks or months, to jump-start weight loss. It works best when combined with a diet and exercise program.
Non-prescription Diet Pills
Over-the-counter diet pills sold at drug stores, grocery stores and health food stores make a lot of dramatic claims about the amount of weight you can lose while taking them. But you should be wary of these claims. The FDA does not regulate diet pills as closely as they do medications. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautions that many of the pills simply don't work, while others can be dangerous.
Alli
One non-prescription diet aid that has been deemed safe and effective if used correctly is Alli. Alli contains an over-the-counter strength of the generic prescription drug, orlistat, that works by blocking fat absorption. If you take the drug and follow the accompanying diet advice carefully, you could lose weight, but the drug can have some unpleasant side effects, including uncontrollable diarrhea, gas and oily stains on underclothes. If you're taking Alli, you also need to take a multivitamin, since the drug can inhibit absorption of some vitamins. You should also talk to your doctor about blood tests to monitor your liver function, since the FDA is investigating a link between liver problems and this drug.
Precautions
Whether you're taking a prescription medication such as Adipex, or an over-the-counter diet aid, your should notify your doctor if you feel dizzy, anxious or ill while on the medication. Monitor your blood pressure and stop taking the drug if it climbs too high. Read the ingredients label on over the counter pills and avoid any that contain ma huang, ephedra, bitter orange or heartleaf, also called country mallow. The FDA has banned these substances in the U.S. due to health risks, though they may still show up in some products.
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