1. Don't Fall for Natural Supplements
The FDA does not regulate the vitamin-and-supplement business. This means you will not find any FDA-approved weight-loss pills at your local health-food store or vitamin center. Certain herbs that have long been considered effective for appetite control or fat burning, such as chitosan, chromium and guarana, have not been studied enough to have any type of FDA backing. Be aware that some weight-loss pills available at these stores may sport an FDA logo because some of the ingredients in them were approved by the FDA. This does not mean that the FDA has approved the pill itself.
2. Talk to Your Doctor
Most FDA-approved weight-loss pills are available only with a prescription. This is the case of appetite suppressants, such as Sanorex and Meridia. Of these, only Meridia is prescribed to obese people who need to stay on the medication for longer than 8 weeks. Appetite suppressants trick the brain into believing you are full, so you will eat less just because your body does not ask you for more. The second type of prescribed weight-loss pills are fat-absorption inhibitors, such as Xenical, which prevent your body from using the full amount of dietary fat you consume on a daily basis. All these medications have received FDA approval after extensive trials and are only available through medical providers, such as dietitians and doctors.
3. Visit Your Local Drugstore
Alli, the only FDA-approved weight loss pill available over the counter, is actually a lighter version of Xenical. The pill prevents the body from absorbing some of the fat you consume, which in turn helps you lose up to 50 percent more weight than people who are not taking it. The catch, however, is that Alli only works if you are already following a regime of diet and exercise. Also, Alli has some unsavory secondary effects, including the risk of oily anal discharge and diarrhea.
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