Amphetamine can produce heart palpitations, diarrhea, insomnia, and lowered sexual function. In some extreme cases it has produced psychotic episodes. Additionally, as the body's tolerance to amphetamine increases it loses its ability to depress the appetite. After the effects of amphetamine were widely recognized it was deemed harmful and its use in diet pills was discontinued.
A newer prescription diet pill in the suppressant category is phentermine. Phentermine stimulates the hypothalamus, a gland that controls neurotransmitters that are associated with appetite. Regrettably, phentermine also plays a role in the sleep cycle and may cause sleeplessness. It is generally safe for short term use and the side effects are much less severe than those presenting during the use of amphetamine based tablets. Like its predecessors, the desired appetite suppression is likely to fade.
The second category of weight loss pill approaches the problem of weight loss from an entirely different angle. There is no emphasis on regulation of ingested food. Rather, the focus is on how many calories are retained during digestion. Fat is termed as “energy dense”, since each gram of fat that is digested will yield 9 calories. Thus, removing fat from the system can help to reduce the number of available calories- this is the essential function of diet pills that fall into the blocking category.
One prescription diet pill that works by removing fat from the system is Orlistat (marketed under the brand name Xenical). It reduces the body's ability to absorb ingested fat during digestion. More fat is then eliminated in feces. Alli is a lower dosage of the same drug, and is often a popular choice because it is non-prescription.
Pills that fall into this category have unpleasant side effects as well. Stools tent to be far oilier as a result of the added fat being excreted rather than absorbed. Defecation is more likely to be spontaneous, meaning that it is entirely possible for an individual to lose control of the bowels and eliminate at undesired and obviously inappropriate moments.
For many people, the side effects of diet pills are worth the benefits that they provide. Users have often tried a number of diet plans that either do not work well enough/ fast enough for them, or that require too much willpower. Some people just prefer to spend less time planning meals, working out carbohydrate to fat ratios, or counting calories. Essentially, a diet pill helps them to diet with greater ease.
It is wise, as with any approach to dieting or change in dietary intake, to consult with your physician before selecting and using a weight loss pill. Although some people find weight loss a highly personal and potentially embarrassing issue, it is safer and smarter to obtain advice from a qualified health professional.
