Diet Pills

There are so many diet pills on the market with claims to aid in fast weight loss, but do they really work and how safe are they? Just a few weeks ago Jillian Michaels had a lawsuit brought against her company due to claims that her diet supplements will guarantee weight loss. Long story short the lady claims that the product didn’t work and she is suing for 5 million. Losing weight does not require taking a pill, in fact it’s a mindset and requires physical work and includes dedication and determination. Here a few things to think about before you purchase weight loss in a bottle.

There is more than a $175 million dollar market for pills that claim to aid in weight loss. Many of these products contained ephedra (prior to 2004), caffeine, diuretics etc… Today, most diet pills contain herbs and high doses of caffeine and herbs to aid in weight loss. Most people think because you purchase a supplement over the counter, it must be safe but this is not the case. In fact, some of these supplements can have adverse affects on your health. Taking a diet supplement that contains a high dose of caffeine combined with a cold medication that contains psudoephedrine can cause synergism (multiplied effect). Being that both are stimulants, they can increase heart rate and blood pressure. Some diet pills claim to decrease appetite, however this effect is short lived once your body adjust. Studies show that less than 30% of people who use an appetite suppressant actually experience the appetite suppression and in 1-3 days the appetite suppression effects are gone. Resulting in previous eating habits and weight gain. Perhaps this could be what the lady in Lake Elsinore experienced. Diet pills that contain diuretics and have laxative affects increase the risk of constipation, dehydration and electrolyte loss. The loss of electrolytes can cause chemical imbalances that can increase the risk of an irregular heart beat and cause harm to other vital body functions. In addition, the weight loss effects are short lived because the weight that is lost is water weight. Once fluid intake is increased the weight is back.

When it comes to weight loss your best bet is to get moving and adjust your calorie intake based on your activity level. People who follow crash diets loose weight right away but the weight that is lost is water weight and muscle wasting. There is no magic pill and true weight loss will come from your desire and actions to make it happen based on a healthy diet combined with exercise.