Diet Pills: Safe and Effective? |
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In recent years, diet pills containing ephedra were under much scrutiny from the medical community. The drug is a common supplement used in diet pills to stimulate metabolism, stifle appetite, and spur weight loss. Even though, it’s been used for in China for thousands of years, it was found to be potentially fatal in the US due to some minor heart diseases or conditions, many of which may go undiagnosed.
In the wake of these findings and the subsequent rejection of ephedra as a safe means of achieving weight loss, a number of ephedra-free products have appeared on the market. The next logical question is, are these alternatives safe, and are they effective? For those who claim to achieve the same results as the dangerous ephedra-based products, it may seem to be a claim that is too good to be true. Most diet pills on the market do claim to achieve the same effect: appetite suppressant and metabolism increasers, a combination that is supposed to ultimately encourage weight loss.
One supplement that has been used in place of ephedra is citrus aurantium. This is a stimulant of the same classification as ephedra. Unlike ephedra, there are no studies that show it to be a potentially fatal supplement for those who may have undiagnosed heart conditions. Citrus aurantium has been shown to increase blood pressure when taken in conjunction with caffeine, another stimulant that almost all diet pills contain.
The tricky part of this industry is that the herbal supplement industry has no federal regulation over it. This means that you may get differing amounts of supplements depending on the brand you take. So you could be spending your money on what amounts to a placebo. However, if you are going to buy diet pills at least do some research on the active ingredients of the pill you are considering. See what studies say about the drug’s side effects, and discuss them with your doctor to see if you have any health conditions that may be a bad mix with these ingredients.
When it comes to effectiveness, there is no pill you can take that will cause weight loss - not even Alli. As Lazy as I am, I realize that it’s diet and exercise that’s going to get me in the best shape. Almost across the board, diet pills are ineffective without a healthy, low-calorie diet, and an exercise regimen.
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This post deals with:active ingredients, appetite suppressant, blood pressure, citrus aurantium, diet pills, diet pils, ephedra, ephedra based products, health conditions, heart conditions, heart diseases, herbal supplement, medical community, metabolism, placebo, supplement industry
... and focuses on:Supplements
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June 13th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
My body is verry sensitive to caffeine, so diet pills would be a bad idea for me! You’re absolutely right, without the lifestyle habits of eating healthy and exercising, diet pills are just a temporary fix.
(Ok, that picture of the ice cream is just taunting me!)
June 16th, 2008 at 2:15 am
I SHOULD be more jaded/cynical but Im still surprised people (the royal. the masses.) opt for the pills QUICK FIX.