Weight Loss Pills
Weight loss pills come in all shapes and sizes, from natural all the way to prescription drugs with their fair share of side effects.
Weight Loss Pills -- Which Ones Work Best?
Except it's not that simple nor fast. No pill, powder, or liquid alone will assist you lose weight overnight, regardless of how many pounds. Even FDA-approved medicines which a doctor can prescribe for treating obesity, are just one way for combating general weight loss.
OTC Supplements
Dietary supplements, which make the brazen claims to fix everything from increasing energy, supporting better functioning memory to burning fat fast, are not medications, according to physicians at the Mayo Clinic. They are scarcely--generally never--studied thoroughly, nor observed closely for safety or quality by the FDA. Mayo Clinic adds: "They aren't meant to treat or cure disease."
For instance, look at raspberry ketone: Although promoted as a clinically proven support for losing weight, that claim has only one measly little, short-term research trial comprising 70 adults suffering from obesity. While some participants were assigned at random to start taking a supplement that contains ingredients such as raspberry ketone, ginger, garlic root extract, bitter orange, and caffeine, others received a placebo. The group taking the supplement lost a little more weight--around 4 pounds as opposed to 1 pound during the 8-week period--but who could determine which particular ingredient was truly responsible for the resulting difference, or if the weight loss will continue and without side effects, if taken long term.
There are several other supplements that make similar claims such as African mango, garcinia cambogia, and green coffee bean extract. "In general these dietary supplements have little supportive evidence suggesting they are effective as a treatment for obesity," explains Dr. W. Scott Butsch, director of obesity medicine.
They can in addition be dangerous. Some dietary supplements have been connected to harmful health issues like liver damage, according to the Mayo Clinic. Moreover, in 2004, the FDA banned a weight loss product promoted as Ephedra, when it was connected to seizures, irregular heart rate, high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attacks.
Approved Medications
Medicines approved by the FDA to treat weight loss for short term use include drugs such as Xenical, Qsymia, Contrave, and Saxenda. But be careful, for these do cause side effects. Contrave, for example, can cause nausea, diarrhea, insomnia, dizziness, headache disorder, hypertension, symptoms of anxiety, and much more.
