Despite abundant advertising hype, no drug (and no "natural" herb) offers a magic bullet against obesity. There are some new drugs though that may provide support in a balanced weight-loss program."Although Americans would like to have a pill to cure obesity, the best that will ever be available is something that will contribute to a lifestyle effort and make it less of a struggle," says Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, director of the Weight Management Center of the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania.
By Prescription Only
The three most-prescribed prescription drugs are:
* Xenical (orlistat), approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1999. It interferes with the digestion of fats and prevents about 30 percent of the fat that you eat from being absorbed by your body.
* Meridia (sibutramine), approved in 1997. It boosts the levels of two neurotransmitters--norepinephrine and serotonin--in your brain to moderate hunger cravings and give you a feeling of fullness.
* Phentermine (available under Ionamin and Adipex-P), approved in 1957. Phentermine suppresses appetite by boosting norepinephrine levels. It is approved only for short-term use.
Over-The-Counter Options
The only FDA approved OTC weight-loss drug is Alli, which only works if the consumers follow a strict regimen of diet and exercise.
Beware Herbal Remedies
For the most part, the only diet medications now available without a prescription are herbal and other "natural" preparations. Dietary supplement manufacturers do not have to tell the FDA about adverse effects, and the product labels aren't good either. Conventional physicians and researchers consider most of them useless and some of them dangerous. "Herbal remedies are not well supported at all by clinical-trial data," says Belinda O'Connell, MS, RD, LD, a clinical dietitian at the International Diabetes Center in Minneapolis, Minn.
"Although they may look like medicine, herbal weight-loss remedies are neither effective nor - in some cases - safe," says Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh.
The FDA believes these people were wasting their money and risking their health. "Only a few herbal weight-loss remedies have been tested in clinical trials, generally with no evidence of benefit," notes Samuel Klein, MD, of Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.
For example, Ephedra's potential side effects can include high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, stroke, and seizures. A scientific measurement of the ingredients of 20 ephedra brands found that in half, the label was wrong by more than 20 percent. One brand had 10 times the amount of ephedrine alkaloids stated on the label. Another had none at all.
"Laxatives and diuretics may make people think they have lost weight, but it's only water weight," says Fernstrom. "They're not thinner, just dehydrated."
CHECK OUT THE FoxNewsChannel VIDEO HERE as well as the video posted below!
Fentress, D., & Agnew, B., from Diabetes Forecast, 4/2002, Vol. 55 Issue 4, 51-55.
Catchy title :-D
ReplyDeleteThis gives a clear understanding of the various types of weight loss drugs out there.
It also shows the obsession everyone has with weight. Not only have we become materialistic but we have become self conscious about how our outside appearance is viewed by others. EP
ReplyDeleteIt’s insane how many weight loss drugs there are. Think about shows like “The Biggest Loser.” That’s all I have to say.
ReplyDeleteIf there are so many drugs for weight loss, why then does people risk having surgery just to loose weight, and they have to pay on top of that.
ReplyDeleteThe drive for perfection/control starts very young and is continually fueled by all forms of media. In the matter of weight "control", it does not stop. Even the elderly woman who has never had to face the weight-loss conundrum is soon hit with weighty issues related to body changes with menopause and can fall victim to the hype to "look your best, be youthful, lose that unwanted belly bulge", etc. Advertising is slick and makes it's money on promoting what are often falsehoods disguised as truth. Good points on health fraud and monitoring what goes into the body! Be natural, while not regarded as beautiful in the western world has alot going for it in terms of health when combined with sensible eating and increased activity.
ReplyDeleteGreat job, I didn't see any thing that went against known medical knowledge. I especially found the herbal supplement subject interesting as it has been a topic of interest with my peers of late. Once again the hype created by media and word of mouth seems to outweigh the value of good solid research, how unfortunate. I agree wholeheartedly with the statement that the best way to lose weight is lifestyle change, even people with poor metabolism can stay in shape if their diet and exercise habits are designated appropriately. Once again, good job guys!
ReplyDeleteI think Alli is the safest weight loss drug out there, but is it really worth it? It might not be effective for everyone, but for those who really want to lose weight, it’s probably worth the shot to try.
ReplyDeleteI’ve read a lot of success stories in which people on Alli said that the drug works as long as you don’t eat fatty foods. Well, why not just eat healthy in the first place and try to exercise as much as you can? How exactly does Alli work? I don’t want to sound harsh, but I cannot understand the significance of some weight loss pill because I’ve been trying to eat healthy and in proportional amounts ever since I was a child, and I even play soccer. I do understand that being overweight can be hereditary, but it runs in my family and I do not have a weight problem because of my lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteMaybe these pills help in addition to diet and exercise. Once you start losing some weight, then your friends and family will start giving you compliments and it then gets easier and easier to demonstrate self control and eat less.
ReplyDeleteIf I were overweight, I'd choose Alli b/c it has been proven to be the safest weight loss drug out there. Also, the TV ads even show wynonna judd as the spokesperson for Alli, which I think is a good sign b/c top-notch, respectable celebrities would only advocate something that would be of great benefit to all.
ReplyDeleteYou would think that herbal supplements would be the safest, but maybe it's better to just eat fresh garlic, ginger, and herbs rather than pop a pill containing those ingredients.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many types of congenital heart diseases that infants are unfortunately born with. That's because of natural processes in the body though. It can't really be controlled. On the other hand, taking pills that can lead to heart defects CAN be controlled. It's a choice.
ReplyDelete-AK
Let's not blame the overweight Americans for wanting a miracle weight loss pill... everyone wants a "miracle" something to make ease of their lives in one way or another... It's all the result of living in a high-tech society.
ReplyDeleteLots of people eat fresh ginger, garlic, and herbs, which are healthy with many benefits. So of course people are gonna think that herbal weight loss drugs are healthy also... it's very deceiving on behalf of those production companies.
ReplyDeleteIn this days all the people want to lose weight fast and for that they will take weight loss medicine.
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I have a big love about reading to collect useful information about weight loss drugs.And today I have found this blog.Thank you so much for what you have shared.
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