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Weight Loss Pills
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Over-the-Counter Diet Pills:
Commercials for weight-loss drugs show how easy it is to lose weight if you just pop one of their magic pills. And some of us believe the commercials. According to a survey sponsored by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), five percent of women and two percent of men use diet pills to lose weight. The burning question: Can a pill make you lose your appetite and turn your body into a calorie-burning machine? Before we answer, keep in mind the adage: if it looks too good (or easy), it probably is.
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Phentermine is an appetite suppressant used for the short-term treatment of obesity. When used in conjunction with diet, exercise, and behavior therapy, Phentermine may help you to lose weight while you are learning new ways to eat and to exercise.
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Each diet pill company claims their pill has something special that their competitors' pills don't. Actually, according to the FDA, most over-the-counter (OTC) weight-control drugs contain the active ingredient phenylpropanolamine (PPA), such as Dexatrim and Acutrim. PPA is available over-the-counter for weight control in a 75 milligrams, controlled-release dosage form.
This ingredient may get you to clean your house a whole lot faster, but it won't help you shed pounds. According to studies conducted by the FDA's Office of OTC Drug Evaluation, using diet pills containing PPA will not make a big difference in the rate of weight loss.
Even the best studies show only about a half-pound greater weight loss per week using PPA (combined with diet and exercise).
The recommended dosage of these pills should not be exceeded because of the risk of possible adverse effects, such as elevated blood pressure and heart palpitations.
Since PPA is also used as a nasal decongestant in OTC cough and cold products, consumers should read the labels of OTC decongestants to see if they contain PPA. They should not take PPA in two products labeled for different uses.
The FDA has received a small number of reports indicating that PPA use might be associated with an increased risk of stroke. Based on available data, the agency does not believe that an increased risk of stroke is a concern when PPA is used at recommended dosages.
Prescription Weight Loss drugs:
FDA has approved several prescription drugs for obesity. The latest is Xenical (orlistat), which was approved in April 1999.
Xenical is the first in a new class of anti-obesity drugs known as lipase inhibitors. Lipase is the enzyme that breaks down fat for use by the body. Xenical interferes with lipase function, decreasing fat absorption by 30 percent. Since undigested fats are not absorbed, there is less calorie intake, which could help weight control.
Other approved anti-obesity prescription drugs available on the market include:
In mostly short-term studies of obese adults following a calorie-restricted diet, those who took the appetite suppressants lost more weight on average than those who took a placebo. The amount of weight lost varied from study to study.
The FDA approved the drugs only for use with calorie-restricted diets. Also, they should be used only for a few weeks, partly because, aside from Xenical, the drugs are addictive and have the potential for abuse. They shouldn't be used in combination with each other or with other drugs for appetite control, because such combinations have not been evaluated for safety. And the drugs should be used only in people who are obese not people looking to lose a few pounds.
Until September 1997, two other drugs, fenfluramine (Pondimin and others) and dexfenfluramine (Redux), were available for treating obesity. But, at FDA's request, the manufacturers of these drugs voluntarily withdrew them from the market after newer findings suggested that they were the likely cause of heart-valve problems in a large proportion of people using them. The FDA recommended that anyone taking the drugs stop and that they contact their doctor to discuss their treatment.
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Source: Your Health Encyclopedia, 4-rd Edition, 2002
Last Revised at December 4, 2007 by Harutyun Medina, M.D.
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