The Facts:
Right now, the most available weight loss drugs approved by the FDA are for
short-term use, meaning a few weeks or months. There are three major types of
diet pills. They are:
1. Appetite suppressants - these generally come in the form of tablets or extended-release capsules (pills that
release medication over a long period of time). They can either be presecribed by a doctor or bought
over-the-counter. The most popular appetite suppressant is called phentermine.
2. Fat absorption inhibitors - binds to fat that's in fatty foods and it absorbs it and makes it bind together like a
sponge and is passed through bowel movements. It is available over-the-counter and as a prescription
it's called Xenical.
3. Powerful Laxatives and Stimulants - take these—which carry claims that they “flush” or “melt” fat, and “cleanse”
your body—and you’ll be spending a lot of time on the toilet. The labels on stimulatnts claim they “burn calories",
“burn fat” and "increase metabolism".
Newer drugs are being studied as potential treatments for obesity, some of which are showing promise and may
be available in the near future.
Now, you may be asking the question how? How do appetite suppresants help you lose weight? How do fat
absorption inhibitors cause weight loss? Well, appetite suppressants work by tricking the body into thinking that it
is full, when it really is not. They also decrease weight loss by increasing the two brain chemicals that control
mood and appetite. On the other hand, fat absorption inhibitors work by preventing your body from breaking down
and absorbing the fat in the meals you eat. All that unabsorbed fat is eliminated in bowel movements.
short-term use, meaning a few weeks or months. There are three major types of
diet pills. They are:
1. Appetite suppressants - these generally come in the form of tablets or extended-release capsules (pills that
release medication over a long period of time). They can either be presecribed by a doctor or bought
over-the-counter. The most popular appetite suppressant is called phentermine.
2. Fat absorption inhibitors - binds to fat that's in fatty foods and it absorbs it and makes it bind together like a
sponge and is passed through bowel movements. It is available over-the-counter and as a prescription
it's called Xenical.
3. Powerful Laxatives and Stimulants - take these—which carry claims that they “flush” or “melt” fat, and “cleanse”
your body—and you’ll be spending a lot of time on the toilet. The labels on stimulatnts claim they “burn calories",
“burn fat” and "increase metabolism".
Newer drugs are being studied as potential treatments for obesity, some of which are showing promise and may
be available in the near future.
Now, you may be asking the question how? How do appetite suppresants help you lose weight? How do fat
absorption inhibitors cause weight loss? Well, appetite suppressants work by tricking the body into thinking that it
is full, when it really is not. They also decrease weight loss by increasing the two brain chemicals that control
mood and appetite. On the other hand, fat absorption inhibitors work by preventing your body from breaking down
and absorbing the fat in the meals you eat. All that unabsorbed fat is eliminated in bowel movements.
The Effects:
Medical experts and pharmacists roundly say no. “If weight loss came in a bottle, the world would be
slim,” says Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, a family doctor and the founder of Ottawa’s Bariatric Medical Institute,
a leading centre for medically supervised obesity treatment.
Along with not being a safe long-term weightloss option, they may be dangerous: Since 2007, Health Canada
has issued at least 45 “risk communications” involving more than 170 weight-loss products, including the
popular Hydroxycut in May 2009, which in the U.S. led to 23 cases of liver toxicity and one death.
Most of the laxatives come with warnings to drink lots of water and avoid taking other medication within two
hours (because the desired effect of the other medicine may be reduced). Stimulants prove to make you feel
jittery and on edge, and may cause your heart to race. Common ingredients include: caffeine, sometimes two
to three cups of coffee worth in a single pill, and sometimes green tea extract.
In general, diet supplements will leave you dehydrated, malnourished, and with cramping and diarrhea. On the scarier side,
you could start having seizures, heart attacks or strokes and have suicidal thinking.
slim,” says Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, a family doctor and the founder of Ottawa’s Bariatric Medical Institute,
a leading centre for medically supervised obesity treatment.
Along with not being a safe long-term weightloss option, they may be dangerous: Since 2007, Health Canada
has issued at least 45 “risk communications” involving more than 170 weight-loss products, including the
popular Hydroxycut in May 2009, which in the U.S. led to 23 cases of liver toxicity and one death.
Most of the laxatives come with warnings to drink lots of water and avoid taking other medication within two
hours (because the desired effect of the other medicine may be reduced). Stimulants prove to make you feel
jittery and on edge, and may cause your heart to race. Common ingredients include: caffeine, sometimes two
to three cups of coffee worth in a single pill, and sometimes green tea extract.
In general, diet supplements will leave you dehydrated, malnourished, and with cramping and diarrhea. On the scarier side,
you could start having seizures, heart attacks or strokes and have suicidal thinking.