Weight Loss Pills

We live in a "pills for everything" era. I remember even back in the 1970's, I paid a visit to my GP (that's a general medical practitioner in England) after I had had major surgery on my hip joints. After I left hospital I was told to report to my GP, which I dutifully did. "Next time you come" he told me, "come in the back door. No need for you to queue out there."

He waved his arm towards the surgery waiting room, which was full of patients. "That lot, there's nothing wrong with them. You're probably my only real patient today. They just come in for a chat and expecting a pill. None of them are ill."

Since then, "the pills for everything" brigade has grown. Doctors feel stressed into prescribing a pill, because they know the "patient" will not be happy leaving without a prescription for some magic pill that will cure their probably non existent illness. Of course, there is genuine illness and genuine patients; but go to any English doctor's surgery and you will find people with just a cold, cough or a touch of flu, things that the immune system can usually deal with easily given a bit of support. But so many want their magic pill.

Weight loss is big business, so again you get those who want to find a magic weight loss pill. Forget the effort, the diets, the exercises, and the lifestyle changes. A weight loss pill is the answer.

Well, that's what they think. But before reaching for the pills, have a read of the article below about weight loss or diet pills.

Weight Loss Pills - A Few Things You Should Know

There are quite a few weight loss pills on the market. Some of these pills are prescription only, others are and non-prescription. Of course, they all claim to be effective weight loss aids. However, many of these have been associated with serious medical risks, such as heart attack, heart abnormalities, tachycardia, stroke, seizures and death. The side effects can be quite daunting, to say the least, but how realistic are those side effects? And are the risks worth the likely results in terms of long term weight loss?

Weight loss, or diet, pills fall into several different classes. Most of them are appetite suppressants of one kind or another, generally stimulants with effects similar to those of amphetamine. They are approved for treatment of obesity, where it is considered that the health risks associated with being grossly overweight, outweigh the risks associated with the medication.

For someone who has less than 30 pounds in weight to lose, the risk/benefits considerations aree far less cut-and-dried. While the FDA, plus manufacturers, closely monitor the effects of prescription weight loss medications, when it comes to over the counter medications their risks are far less well documented. Herbal preparations, especially those whose manufacturers make no official weight loss claims for them, are even less well documented.

While makers of pharmaceuticals must meet stringent labeling requirements and tests for safety and effectiveness, those who make weight loss 'supplements' have no such regulation. As long as the product does not contain a 'new' ingredient, or one that has never been marketed for weight loss purposes before, it is not subject to FDA review. Instead, the manufacturer is held responsible for the safety and effectiveness of their products. Often, that can mean unregulated dosages, unhealthy additives and ineffective ingredients.

In an effort to encourage improvement in the reporting standards and the pharmaceutical standards for weight loss medications, the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) has introduced the Comprehensive Dietary Supplement Verification Program. This program is currently on a voluntary basis. However, it does involve certification by the USP of certain labeling and practice standards, including that the product contains the ingredients stated on the label, in the strength declared;also, that they are within limits for such impurities as metals, pesticides and bacteria; that the medication will be absorbed by the body according to USP criteria; and finally that it has been created with all safe precautions.

Lessening The Risks Of Weight Loss Pills

Until the day comes that all over the counter weight loss medications and aids, and herbal preparations, are labeled and tested by impartial researchers, there are some things that you can do to lessen the risks associated with using diet pills:

1. Research is your best friend. There's a lot of information available about drugs and herbs like ephedra, ephinedrine, phentermine and sibutramine. If you know what you are taking, and have read of the possible side effects, you can watch out for them, and stop taking the pill as soon as the side effect shows.

2. Go and speak to your doctor before you start taking any drug or herbal supplement. Many of them interact poorly with other medications, or can have an adverse effect on chronic conditions.

3. Follow any dosage instructions for the product. Overdoses of stimulant medications, which are an ingredient of many weight loss preparations, can have serious consequences.

4. Never take any weight loss pill or supplement for more than a few weeks, without it being prescribed by a doctor.

5. Check with your pharmacist when purchasing over the counter weight loss preparations to be sure that the ingredients don't interact with other medications you may be taking. Include both prescription and nonprescription medications in your questions. The pharmacist has the training and knowledge to advise. you.

Ideally, though, it is best not to take weight loss pills. The effectiveness of most have not been proven at all. It is an awful lot of risk for such a small potential loss of weight. And there aree far healthier methods to achieve weight loss.