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Are Diet Pills right for you?
Author: Richard Hanson
Appetite suppressants have been one of the most popular
prescription diet pills since 1959 when the FDA first
approved
them. Appetite suppressants suppress the appetite and
increase
chemicals in the brain that cause a 'full' feeling.
Should you take an Appetite Suppressant?
The decision to start taking an appetite suppressant
should not
be taken lightly. If you have ten pounds or less to
shed, this
is not the right course of action for you. However, if
you have
thirty or more pounds to lose, the potential health
risks from
being over weight far outweigh the potential side
effects from
weight loss medications. If you have BMI of 27 or more,
appetite
suppressants are definitely worth considering.
Potential Side Effects of Appetite Suppressants
When deciding if you should take a prescription
medication,
measuring the potential side effects is important.
Appetite
suppressants are no different. Similar to amphetamines,
appetite
suppressants have been known to cause insomnia,
restlessness,
nervousness and increased heart rate. And as so, this
type of
medication should not be taken by people that have heart
disease
or high blood pressure. Keep in mind that appetite
suppressants
are also controlled substance and while risks are low to
moderate, dependency can occur.
How much Weight can you lose with Appetite Suppressants?
On average, most people typically lose approximately
5-10
percent of their current body weight while taking
appetite
suppressants. So, if you weight 200 pounds, you will
lose about
10-20 pounds but keep in mind along with appetite
suppressants
you need to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly.
Research
shows that after six months, weight loss levels top off
and
appetite suppressants lose their effectiveness. Many
times
weight is regained after stopping the use of diet pills
as they
are only a short term solution. If you have changed your
eating
and exercising habits you have a far better chance of
keeping
the weight off and maintaining your new weight.
Diet pills - an aid not the answer to loosing weight
To get to the point, if your health is at risk due to
being
obese, talking to your doctor about taking a
prescription
appetite suppressant is worth considering. We cannot say
it
enough, don't fall into the hype and claims that taking
a diet
pill will help you to lose weight miraculously and
quickly with
little effort.
Diet pills are a short term solution and they can be
effective
in helping you to lose weight but it will be hard work.
You will
need to change your eating habits and start exercising
along
with taking medication. If you don't, you will quickly
gain back
the weight you worked so hard to lose when the pill
stops
working over time.
Types of Diet Pills
Diet pills and supplements come in many different forms:
prescription diet pills, over-the-counter- diet pills
and
natural herbal supplements. Below we are going to go
over them
in more detail to help you make an informed decision.
Prescription Diet Pills - Pills such as Meridia and
Phentermine
are available by prescription from your doctor only. And
they
are regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration).
When
taking prescription diet pills your Doctor will monitor
your
health and weight loss regularly and in most cases you
will have
to meet with him once a month to get a new prescription.
Over-the-Counter Diet Pills - Are available without a
doctor's
prescription at your local supermarket or drugstore.
Most
over-the-counter diet pills are also regulated by the
FDA and it
should say so right on the label. The FDA considers
over-the-counter pills to be those that contain the
active
ingredient phenylpropanolamine (also known as PPA). In
2000, the
FDA made it mandatory for drug manufacturers to
reformulate PPA
containing products after studies were showing evidence
that
phenylopropanolmine has the potential to increase the
risk of
stroke and therefore there are very few diet pills on
the market
with PPA.
Herbal Diet Supplements - Are also available over the
counter
with out a prescription. You can typically find a large
variety
of herbal pills in health food and nutrition stores as
well as
regular drugstores. Often, herbal supplements are
labeled "all
natural" and the FDA considers them to be food products
and not
drugs. In doing so they fall under the jurisdiction of
the FDA's
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and they
are
therefore regulated differently then over-the-counter
diet
pills.
No matter the diet pill you chose to use you should
first
consult your doctor prior to starting your new diet. For
your
own health and safety you should be aware of the
benefits along
with the potential risks associated with the diet pill
of your
choice. All natural doesn't always mean "safe" or that
it's good
for you.
About the author:
Peter Hanson helps makes the subject of taking diet
pills
realistic and sensible. Diet Pills can help, ONLY if
part of a
change of habits and lifestyle. You can find more
articles here:
htpp://www.perfect-hoodia.com/diet-pills/
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