UNFORTUNATELY, despite what the ads say, there are no easy miracle weight loss pills. As Mom always reminds us, "If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is!"
First, the FDA does not approve weight loss pills before the medications are sold. Also, the FDA can only take action against the drugs that are not safe or make false claims AFTER they've been put on the market.
Many weight loss pills have been recalled because of proven or potential harmful effects. One example is of phen-fen. The Mayo Clinic had first reported that fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine (sold as Redux) were linked to heart valve defects in women who had used the drugs, and the FDA ultimately withdrew the drugs after intense investigation.
In addition, the weight loss drug rimonabant was found to increase the risk for psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety. Clinical studies had found that rimonabant was a CB-1 receptor antagonist, which means that it blocked the CB-1 receptor. In turn, this blocked appetite and reduced food intake. Although rimonabant was effective for weight reduction, the FDA understandable did not want consumers developing psychiatric adverse effects and increased risk of suicide.
Another example is when the FDA warned consumers about the Brazilian diet pills. The pills contained active ingredients found in prescription drugs for anxiety, alcohol withdrawal, depression, OCD, panic disorder, and bulimia!!! A couple years later, the FDA warned consumers about 69 tainted weight loss pills that could cause serious and fatal health risks!
Anyone considering the option of weight loss pills should be on the lookout for red flags! Watch out for anything that promises a quick fix. Who runs the website? Is it really telling you about the pill or just trying to sell it? Is the information coming from reliable studies? Is the info up-to-date? If you're still not sure, CHECK IT OUT BEFORE PUTTING IT IN YOUR BODY OR ON YOUR SKIN!!! In fact, the FDA has developed Q&A's to help consumers, healthcare practitioners, and the general public understand the FDA's initiative against weight loss products. Click here to read it!
Remember! A good diet is based on adequate vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, a small amount of fat, and PLENTY of water. Several professional organizations (American Dietetic Association, American Heart Association, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) have published guidelines and recommendations for successful weight loss. Of course, they all recommend a reduction in calories, foods that are high in nutrients, and physical activity.
Nurses will encounter overweight people in nearly every setting. So, it’s appropriate for nurses to initiate discussions about the importance of maintaining a healthy weight. They also need to be aware of the array miracle weight loss pills in order to educate others. Nurses can participate in health fairs to learn about the potential dangers of weight loss pills and to learn of healthy lifestyle guidelines. Nurses should definitely set a good example of their own health because they can highly influence their patients' lifestyle decisions!
http://www.fda.gov/womens/getthefacts/supplements.html
http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/supplements080408.html
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/display/article/10168/54321
Welch, C.B., from Diabetes Forecast, 4/1998, Vol. 51 Issue 4, 40-46
Christensen, R., Kristensen, P.K., Bartels, E.M., Mitchell, P.B., & Morris, M.J., from Neuropsychiatry Reviews, 12/2007, Vol. 8 Issue 12, 20.
Mitchell, P.B., & Morris, M.J., from The Lancet journal, 11/17/2007, Vol. 370 Issue 9600, 1671-1672.
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2006/NEW01298.html
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01933.html
http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1999/699_fraud.html
http://www.fda.gov/cder/consumerinfo/weight_loss_products.htm
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
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people really need to look up and learn about the weight loss drugs they might feel like buying. who wants to ever experience anxiety and depression?
ReplyDeleteWe should care because first and foremost, our well-being is vital to living a long, healthy life. And nurses need to be educated for their own good as well, not to just inform and teach their patients and others.
ReplyDeleteThe FDA is certainly one of the most prioritized sites that consumers should take a look at before buying any weight loss drugs. The website contains the most up-to-date information they have regarding the pills. This Q&A is a nice summary focusing on the concerns about contaminated products.
ReplyDelete- Elaina
I feel that Alli would be a good drug for those who want to lose more than 50 pounds, as long as they eat the right foods and exercise daily.
ReplyDeleteInstead of trying to keep track of all the drugs that are bad for you, just don’t use them! Be safe! It’s just like saying that the best birth control method is abstinence!
ReplyDeleteOrlistat blocks fat, but that fat is then passed out of the body in stools, which can be loose or oily. It can cause gas and incontinence too. It can be absolutely horrible… it would make life very uncomfortable.
ReplyDeleteI've read about these things!!!
That's a really nice video of the doctor informing us of the controversy of weight loss pills. It's very important to regard your health as first and foremost before putting any sort of drug in your body. If an overweight person already has preexisting health problems such as high BP or diabetes, they might think that taking a weight loss pill will improve their health. However, their current health problems make it especially important for them to talk to their doctor or nurse before taking a weight loss pill. It would be horrible if they deveoped much worse health problems while taking these drugs while not even losing any weight.
ReplyDeleteNurses need to be educated so that they can give their patients the whole picture. Consumers of weight loss drugs especially hear only what they want to hear.
ReplyDeleteNurses themselves can be overweight, so they should first practice healthy habits if possible before giving anyone advice.
ReplyDeleteThe weight loss drugs are only for controlling over your appetite,So that you are able to eat less and
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