Diet pills and aids are a multi-billion dollar industry. But the promises of pills are usually empty, and the dangers of addiction or other health problems may far outweigh any benefits for the users.
The pills work in different ways. Many are appetite suppressants with active ingredients like phenylpropanolamine or caffeine. Many of them are supposed to increase the rate of your metabolism and at the same time they should help in controlling the appetite. Others claim to block the body’s ability to absorb fat. Others even claim to give the same results of a bariatric gastric banding surgery without the operation. These pills expand in the stomach to create a feeling of satiety. Last, but not least, some diet pills are based on the process of eliminating waste or fluid from the body. Many include some form of diuretic or laxative.
Diet pills can be addictive and can also have harmful side effects even when they are taken according to the doctor’s directions. If you have any health problems, consult your physician before taking any kind of diet pill. Be sure that you follow the directions and be sure that you’re aware of possible side effects. Stop taking the pills immediately if you experience any of them. Some known side effects of diet pills include:
- anxiety or nervousness,
- irritability, insomnia and a feeling of restlessness or hyperactivity,
- high blood pressure,
- tightness in the chest,
- heart palpitations,
- heart attack,
- stroke or congestive heart failure,
- digestive tract problems like vomiting, diarrhea, constipation or other stomach pain,
- fever,
- dry mouth,
- headaches,
- dizziness,
- blurred vision,
- profuse sweating,
- hair loss,
- menstrual cycle and sex drive disturbances and
- urinary tract problems.
In the case of overdose, users can experience tremors or convulsions, confusion or hallucinations, breathing problems, renal failure or heart attack.As you can see, diet pills need to be taken with caution due to all of the physical risks. But there are emotional risks too. Often those trying to lose weight may start to feel emotionally dependent on the pills. They may attribute their initial success to diet pills only, forgetting any diet modifications, exercise or other lifestyle changes that may have been the true reason for the weight loss. People will often ‘pill hop’, trying one new pill after the other, looking for the magic cure that will let them continue to eat whatever they want but still lose weight. However, only a balanced, sensible diet combined with exercise has been proven to keep weight off over any amount of time. And no pill will cause the lifestyle and emotional changes needed to stop overeating and start losing weight.