Are Weight Loss Pills Any Good for Weight Loss?
Are Weight Loss Pills Any Good for Weight Loss
?
Well, yes and no. Weight loss pills are not a magic solution for weight loss. They will not simply cause the excess weight to drop off you without some changes in your lifestyle. They may have a place in weight loss however in helping you to lose weight, in conjunction with a proper diet and an increase in your daily exercise, providing you choose the right type for you, and it may be wise to consult your doctor. They may be a help if your main problem is trying to suppress your appetite because you feel hungry all the time. Some pills may only really work mainly as a diuretic, causing you only to lose water and not fat so are of no use, and all can have some side effects although the more natural products relying on caffeine-like ingredients probably have the least.
There are two broad categories of weight loss pills - those that are prescription only, and, those that are available over the counter.The prescription types are regulated by the Food and Drugs Administration Agency and are therefore monitored to some extent with regard to side effects and regulated for dosage. Brands commonly available are Meridia (Sibutramine), Xenicol (Orlistat), Adipex, Bontril,Didrex, Phentermine, and Tenuate. Over the counter diet and weight loss pills are classed as food supplements rather than diet drugs and are relatively unregulated, even though some experts say they should be.
The alternative and more practically useful way I believe, of classifying diet and weight loss pills , is by their mechanism of action. Some seem to act on the brain, either to stimulate the metabolism to help to burn fat faster, or to suppress the appetite so that we are able to eat less and consume less calories. The other type work in the gut by some means to block the absorption of fat.
Examples of both types are as follows.
A popular prescription appetite suppressant is Meridia which has powerful amphetamine-like properties. This type of pill can cause nervousness, anxiety, tremor or raised blood pressure in some people. It is mostly well tolerated but tends to make one a little more tense and excitable, and may make getting to sleep a little more difficult.
More natural appetite suppressants are found in caffeine and guarana, a concentrated caffeine containing substance from South America. Another natural appetite suppressants is Hoodia gordonii which has a lot of aecdotal evidence in its favour.
An increasingly popular fat-blocking prescription drug, despite its undesirable side effects, is Xenicol or Orlistat. This has been approved by the FDA since 1999 for use in weight loss and works by blocking an enzyme in the gut that is needed to digest fat. Instead of being absorbed by the body, up to one third of the fat consumed will accumulate in the intestines and be excreted in the stool.This blocks the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as A,D,E and K, and therefore a vitamin supplement needs to be taken. The undesirable side effects can for some people include an oiliness of the stool, and even diarrhea or unexpected fecal discharge or leakage. It must be said also that not everyone agrees that it is fat consumption that is the main cause of obesity anyway. There is a considerable body of evidence and argument that points to carbohydrate, particularly, refined carbohydrate, as being the main culprit. In which case attempts to cut fat absorption would be completely misplaced.
There is a possible natural alternative to this type of pill in a plant extract from Caralluma fimbriata.This plant, which has been used in India for centuries as a natural appetite suppressant, also seems to have the ability to block one or more enzymes and hence block the absorption of fat. Several clinical trials of this in the form of Slimaluma have been shown to support this claim.
Another supplement called Chitosan is available and is derived from chitin, a polysaccharide found in the exoskeleton or shell of shrimps and crab. It is claimed that this causes weight loss and a lowering of cholesterol by binding fats in the stomach and preventing them from being digested and absorbed. There does not seem however to be much accrued evidence to support this claim.
Other weight loss pills claim to "burn fat" or stimulate the metabolism to burn fat but again, do not seem to have much in the way of convincing evidence to support the claims.
In conclusion then, I would reiterate that weight loss is not possible unless you combine pills with diet and exercise improvements.It is important to choose the right kind of pill for you, but even more important is to choose the right kind of weight loss diet.
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