So if diet pills work and I am overweight, why shouldn't I use
them to get myself back to where I want to be? The truth is that
we live in an obese society. With that being the case, then it
stands to reason that the business of losing weight is big. We
are all busy, so we want the easy way out, the quick fix, and to
lose those extra pounds without having to disrupt our busy
lives. Diet pills seem to be an easy answer, so why not give
them a try? Well there are actually two big reasons: harmful
side effects and addiction (physical and emotional).
The biggest reason that the dangers on diet pills exist is that
they are not really regulated. The law does not require a diet
pill to be tested by the FDA before release to the public. The
FDA will pull a diet pill product from the shelves if it shows
to be dangerous, but by then you may already be taking that
particular drug. So what are the side effects that can result
from this lack of regulation?
Diet pills generally do one or two of a few things: they may
suppress appetite, increase metabolism, block fat absorption, or
even make use of laxatives to flush the body of waste and fluid.
The chemicals in the diet pills that helps them accomplish these
things have been known to cause varying side effects. Some of
the best known of these are anxiety, insomnia, heart
palpitations or attacks, stroke, fever, dry mouth, blurred
vision, hair loss, disturbance in sex drive and menstruation,
urinary tract problems, digestive problems, and even congestive
heart failure. There are numerous others as well, so the risks
can be high when it comes to side effects with diet pills.
The other danger with diet pills is addiction. The chemicals and
drugs used in the pills can very often cause physical addiction.
On the other hand, if they pills do work, even to a small
degree, emotional addiction can follow. You may think that you
cannot keep your weight or even live without the pills and can
find yourself in the midst of complete dependency.
When there are side effect problems in conjunction with
dependency, there are overdose risks as well. In the rush to
lose as much weight as possible as quickly as possible, you
might be tempted to take more diet pills than is recommended.
The result can be convulsions, hallucinations, breathing
difficult, or even a heart attack. It is important that if you
feel or have any of these symptoms that you get medical
attention promptly.
The risk of using diet pills is varied and high. Without
regulation and with the high availability, those seeking an easy
fix to a large problem may end up jumping from pill to pill,
ending up addicted, or suffering terrible side effects. What
many don't realize is that the only proven way of keeping weight
off for a sustained amount of time is through a balanced diet
and exercise.
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