Diet Pills And What They Do

In the western world, being thin and looking healthy are much prized attributes. The media machine constantly bombards us with images of thin and waif like bodies. However nearly two thirds of American citizens are overweight or obese and the pressure for them to lose weight is great and something that they would be prepared to spend money on.

Diet pills are often advertised as the answer to weight loss in western societies and there are many different types of them. For example there are appetite suppressants like sibutramine and phentermine that alter the hypothalamus which is responsible for appetite. They actually trick the stomach and brain into feeling full by blocking the production of serotonin and norepinephrine. Other diet drugs block a hormone called ghrelin that is sent to the stomach by the brain to trigger hunger pangs. Another diet drug imitates a peptide hormone telling the brain that the stomach is full up.

Other example of  weight loss supplements that can be normally be bought over the counter and help with diets are country mallow, guarana, and caffeine all of which boost the body’s metabolism. Other substances like guar gum, psyllium and glucomannan make you feel full. Hydrocitric acid, conjugated linoleic acid, green tea, and pyruvate can actually slow down the process that causes the production of fat. Chitosan is known for blocking fat from being absorbed into the body.

Other diet pills are only available with a prescription. For example some diet pills stop the action of the lipase enzyme, which is responsible for breaking down the fat in the stomach. When the lipase enzyme is is prevented from acting, fat passes right through the body without being absorbed. Orlistat or Xenical as it is generally known does exactly this, blocking the lipase enzyme. It can stop about 30% of the fat that you eat going into fat storage.

The use of some diet pills is dangerous and it is better to always see your doctor before using them. For example ephedra and caffeine were often sold together to boost metabolism reduce appetite, however from 2003 the FDA has stopped the sale of all ephedra containing pills due to the fact that ephedra can cause heart attacks. Manufacturers of diet drugs now are using vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, or folic acid that can get energy levels to rise and increase metabolism.

It is not all a bed of roses though as diet pills, even those recommended by doctors have some unwanted effects. Appetite suppressants act on the the nervous system section that causes sympathy and also can be responsible for high blood pressure. The can also give you headaches and insomnia. Orlistat which blocks the function of the lipase enzymes also prevents the natural absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as other healthy things. Be aware that just that a tablet claims to be herbal, this doesn't mean that it is completely harmless.

The important thing to remember with diet drugs is that they will not do all the work for you, they will just help the process of dieting along. Good diet and exercise are needed together with the diet pills to really achieve a good weight loss. Nothing can substitute for exercise or eating good and healthy food.