Diet Pills

February 19, 2009 by  
Filed under Diet Pills

Diet Pills – History, Use, and Present Issues of Weight Loss Pills

Millions of people buy diet pills each year with the hopes of losing weight with it. Most people on a diet prefer these pills over the traditional ways of dieting, done through healthy eating and exercise, because the effects of these pills are faster. To look at the totality of the use of diet pills, here is a bird’s eye view of its history, use, and present issues.

It was during the golden years of the 50’s and 60’s that diet pills were first prescribed by doctors. The diet pills during this era came from amphetamine derivatives. Later on, doctors found out that these pills do not only promote weight loss but are also the main causes of addiction in their patients. Because of this, drug use to promote weight loss was temporarily stopped. Healthy eating and exercise were then heavily pushed as the only ways to lose weight effectively. In 1973, however, an FDA approved diet pill called fenfluramine was introduced to the public. Succeeding FDA approved diet pills dexfenfluramine and phentermine came in the later years. Drugs called fen-phen and dex-fen-phen continued to be developed as a combination of the ingredients used in the previous pills.

Weight loss pills work by increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a chemical found in the brain which is responsible for satiety and appetite. These diet pills trick the brain to believe that the stomach is full and increases the body’s metabolism. In the later year though, research showed that the formulation of the first weight loss pills caused heart valve diseases despite being very effective in aiding a person lose weight prompting manufacturers to pull-out these drugs from the market. Ever since then, weight loss pills face heavy controversy each time one is made available in the market

It is good to remember that diet pills are primarily designed for use with severely obese patients. This is the only case wherein the disadvantages of using pills is outweighed by the benefits of using one. It goes without saying that these pills do have a significant impact on a person’s general health. Most of these pills have unpleasant side effects like headaches, nausea, sweating, oily waste discharge, hyperventilation and an increase in heart rate among others. Further these diet pills create drug dependency for weight loss. It can also have severe reactions with other medications when taken at the same time.

Before taking any kind of diet pill, know that these pills are just a short-term aid for weight loss. You should not depend on these pills alone for a long term weight loss. Even an effective diet pill will prove to be ineffective in the long run if not taken in tandem with a healthy diet and exercise.

To ensure that you are getting a safe diet pill for your weight loss goals, always consult your doctor before taking one. This way you are assured that you will reach your desired weight without doing harm to your body.