INTRODUCTION: Are there really miracle weight loss drugs?


"I have always felt insecure about my body, but I never felt strange about that. All the women I know feel insecure about their bodies”, NOW intern.

“Whenever I come home for a visit from college, the first thing my dad comments on is whether or not I have gained weight, as if that is what matters the most. I try not to pay attention to it, but it has made me feel pretty self-conscious about my body," NOW intern.

…13-year-old girl…crying herself to sleep, "I'm so fat…my stomach sticks out! I know people aren't supposed to judge you by the way you look, but they do! They always do!"

Are there miracle weight loss drugs? If you are the maker of Metabolife, a “miracle” weight loss pill, who made approximately $93 million in three years, or Glaxo, the maker of Alli, who anticipates $1.5 billion in sales, your answer may be a positive one. And it's no wonder...Weight Watchers posted a $57.4 million dollar profit during the first quarter of 2008 and Jenny Craig posted a $20.1 billion dollar profit during the first quarter of 2007. There's a lot of money to be made when we feel bad about ourselves.

Being overweight carries with it a terrible stigma. And when overweight people are the target of endless, merciless jokes, it’s no wonder that “miracle” weight loss drugs are making obscene profits. For example, a lawmaker in Mississippi in 2008 proposed a bill prohibiting overweight people from dining out in restaurants. Newsweek published on an article dated May 18, 2008, “Global Warming: It’s Fat People’s Fault”. When someone is overweight, even if by a few pounds, most will do anything to lose the weight, even if it damages one’s health. In 1998, Fen-Phen was known to damage heart valves yet continued to sell as a weight loss product. A 41 year old woman took Fen-Phen for about 3 months, she was diagnosed with primary pulmonary hypertension years later after discontinuing the drug.
http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/articles/00286/fen_phen.html

The challenge with weight loss drugs is that they are not regulated like prescription drugs. This means that that many of these products can put additives in their products that may not be listed on the label, hence causing unseen damage. The Mayo clinic lists some of the ingredients that are commonly found in miracle weight loss drugs, what they’re from and what they do to the body. Both nurses and consumers need to be aware of these issues regarding weight loss drugs in order to ensure safety and well-being of one's health.

Thankfully, there are ways to lose weight safely and web sites that support this. Weightlossforall.com provides good advice for people who want to safely lose weight. The FDA has published an on-line guide on their web site about losing weight safely and effectively.

Are there really “miracle” weight loss drugs? Unfortunately, the answer leans towards no. The most effective way to lose weight is through lifestyle change: exercise and eating a healthful diet.

In this blog, we discuss the issue of miracle weight loss drugs in detail - the who, what, where, when, why, and how. Why is this a hot issue? How did it begin? Who should care? Who is involved? What is the big controversy? What are the news sources and experts saying about this issue? Why should nurses and consumers be educated? We have done thorough research from scientific journals (both older and recent) on the UTA Library Database as well as the FDA website so that you could get the entire scoop over the issue of miracle weight loss drugs.

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01933.html
http://www.fda.gov/opacom/lowlit/weightls.html.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/HQ01160.
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01933.html
http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2008/01/no-fat-people-allowed-only-slim-will-be.html
http://www.blog.newsweek.com/blogs/labnotes/archive/2008/05/16/global-warming-it-s-fat-people-s-fault.aspx
http://www.fen-phen-injury.com/texas.htm

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Diet danger? How the FDA feels!

FOX News released an informative video on December 23, 2008, regarding the FDA investigation of over 30 weight loss drugs containing hazardous ingredients. Click here to view!

Dr. Robert Ashton warns consumers of weight loss pills that the “ingredients in a lot of these dietary supplements that seem to be coming out of China but it's not actually listed…They can cause problems especially for people with heart related illnesses. So, the bottom line is: Do not take any dietary supplements for weight loss without a doctor's prescription and under his care. Zero. No question about that."

These weight loss pills are often called the natural fat busters and that sort of thing and people think, “Oh, if it's natural it's got to be good for me and not even dangerous."

"Well a lot of things are natural – we always talk about how marijuana and cocaine are natural substances but I don't think they're good for you. So, the answer is the only natural dietary supplement that I recommend is water. Drinking water instead of calorie juices and drinks is probably the best weight loss. Any dietary supplement that has weight loss attached to it, do not take without consulting a doctor.”
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13 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 28, 2009 at 7:49 PM

    That's so true. Some people think that because a label says that it's natural or herbal, then it must be a safe product to consume. It's funny how the doctor said that marijuana and cocaine are natural substances but not exactly good for you. Great way of looking at it.

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  2. AnonymousMarch 1, 2009 at 5:57 PM

    People don’t realize how important it is to consult their doctor before taking any type of medication, whether it’s just an herbal supplement or an OTC tablet. Drug interactions can be extremely dangerous.

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  3. AnonymousMarch 2, 2009 at 5:27 PM

    I wanna follow-up on that comment. It’s understandable why people don’t go to the doctor’s for what seems to be “simple causes/reasons”… because it’s expensive. Many people don’t have insurance or just can’t afford to go to a doctor and ask questions.

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  4. AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 7:33 AM

    yeah, many people only go the doctor’s when their illness gets serious enough where it’s pretty much unbearable, and by then, a lot of things in their body have been affected.

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  5. AnonymousMarch 10, 2009 at 1:41 PM

    I think people get into the hype of getting fast results combined with natural ingredients. It's supposedly "safe" because its natural and overweight people who have been battling with their weight want fast result. they often do not consult the doctor until their problem turns bad. but it's often the company's fault too for putting false advertisement

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  6. AnonymousMarch 12, 2009 at 7:23 PM

    Just curious – would it be better to get a monthly membership at the gym with a personal trainer, or trying a million different pills that could cause harm to help you lose weight?
    The topic of weight loss drugs is a serious issue because of how badly it can damage your health.

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  7. AnonymousMarch 13, 2009 at 8:34 AM

    There should be a law banning the sale of these types of “products.” But then again, it would violate the first amendment or whatevr. *sigh* Health issues are more important than stupid freedom of speech and press.

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  8. AnonymousMarch 14, 2009 at 8:24 PM

    That’s intense. Exactly why EVERYONE needs to be educated! The heart has to be the most important organ in the body, and any harm to that muscle can be detrimental.

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  9. AnonymousMarch 17, 2009 at 12:21 PM

    This is really scary. I can't believe that companies even think about and KNOWINGLY make pills that contain life-threatening ingredients. It's even worse to imagine that they make so much money and obtain a massive profit... that's pure evil.

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  10. AnonymousMarch 22, 2009 at 11:48 AM

    So these drugs were initially FDA-approved, and then the FDA decided to take them off the market once they found out about the fatal effects? Why were the drugs put out in the market in the first place if they hadn't run thorough clinical tests and research?

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  11. AnonymousMarch 23, 2009 at 9:42 PM

    bahaha "Well a lot of things are natural – we always talk about how marijuana and cocaine are natural substances but I don't think they're good for you."
    Interesting viewpoint made by the doctor. Nevertheless, some people will still not understand the risks of these pills because they can't see past finding a so-called fast fix to weight loss.

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  12. AnonymousMarch 24, 2009 at 10:11 AM

    I think it's true that drinking water is way better than drinking even regular juices, maybe even better than V8. Instead of drinking V8, people should just eat the real vegetables and fruits. They're obviously more effective.

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  13. AnonymousMarch 24, 2009 at 12:01 PM

    it really frustrates me when people only take these pills without bothering to change their eating habits and without becoming more physically active

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