Weight Loss Drugs
There are many types of weight loss drugs that are very effective and safe to use. There are also others that are harmful to your health.
Weight Loss Ingredients
The promise of a leaner meaner body can be very
alluring, so caution should be used before making
any purchases. Doing a little research about
the ingredients in a product will give you a
better idea about how the product can help you
achieve your weight loss goals.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns against the use of potentially harmful weight loss drugs. Many consumers wonder how involved the FDA really is when it comes to the marketing of weight loss drugs.
FDA approval is necessary whenever a new dietary ingredient is being added to a product. It must go through a pre-market review before it can be used. The FDA website lists drug ingredients that have been deemed unsafe to use.
The Dietary Supplement Health and Education
Act (DSHEA) of 1994 concluded that companies
that create weight loss drugs with the intent
to sell them are responsible for determining
that the dietary supplements it manufactures
or distributes are safe to use. The companies
who promote these products must have enough
evidence to back up their claims.
The FDA has made warnings about the following
weight loss drugs:
- Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) is a harmful drug that can be found in weight loss products such as Dexatrim, Tavist-D and many others on the market. Long term use of this type of drug can lead to stroke and is especially harmful for women.
- Fenfluramine and Dedfenfluramine found in products like Pondimin and Redux have been eliminated from the market due to studies that show abnormal echocardiograms in thirty percent of patients using this weight loss drug.
- Fedfluramine and Phentermine known as Fen-phen are the likely cause of heart valve problems for many who use this combination of weight loss drugs.
The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has brought legal action against several marketers of pills containing Chitosan or Chitin.
Chitosan or Chitin products - This is a fiber derived from shellfish. The FDA has stated that products such as Fat Magnet, Fat Blocker, Fat Trapper and Fat Absorb physically block or absorb fat and interfere with the proper digestion of foods.
Adverse Health Effects
- Depletion of fat-soluble vitamins
- Increased calcium excretion that causes the loss of bone density
Natural Weight Loss Drugs
There are many herbs and vitamins that encourage
weight loss. Many companies are adding these
natural
herbs and vitamins to their products
to offer users a more natural means to lose
weight.