Advanced Diets Advice & News

Archive for December, 2009

All diet pills are different and work in different ways depending on the ingredients that they contain and their intended purpose. There are different types of prescription pills on the market. Before taking any dietary supplements it is important to understand the differences so you can make an informed decision. You should always consult your doctor before starting a new diet medication.

Appetite Suppressants - Meridia and Phentermine are two examples of appetite suppressant diet pills. Appetite suppressants affect the appetite regulating region in the brain. They work by blocking the re-uptake of the chemicals serotonin and norepinephrine that create a feeling of satiety after eating a big meal. With higher dosages of these chemicals in your body circulating to your brain, you tend to feel full and eat less. While these pills work to suppress your appetite it is important to still eat a balanced diet and drink plenty of water everyday.

Prescription Fat Blockers – Xenical is an example of a prescription fat blocker. Fat blockers work by inhibiting the action of an enzyme that is called lipase. When we ingest foods that have fat in them, lipase breaks down the fat when it reaches the intestinal tract. When using a lipase inhibitor a percentage of the fat intake is removed from the body by bowel movements rather than being broken down and absorbed in the body which helps you to achieve weight loss.

Did you know that there are many prescription drugs that can be used as dietary aids although that is not their intended purpose? In fact, some antidepressants can be used as diet supplements. Studies have shown that antidepressants have helped many patients to lose weight and to keep it off for months at a time.

Diet pills are a booming business – no matter online, offline or on the television there are many temptations and advertisements available at your fingertips. Pharmaceutical companies are pushing more and more products out into the market. To date, there are over 100 new weight loss pills in development or clinical trials.  With so many to choose from it is imperative to take some time and do your research before taking any prescription or over-the-counter diet pills.

Diet pills and supplements come in many different forms: prescription diet pills, over-the-counter- diet pills and natural herbal supplements. Below we are going to go over them in more detail to help you make an informed decision.

Prescription Diet Pills – Pills such as Meridia and Phentermine are available by prescription from your doctor only. And they are regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). When taking prescription diet pills your Doctor will monitor your health and weight loss regularly and in most cases you will have to meet with him once a month to get a new prescription.

Over-the-Counter Diet Pills – Are available without a doctor’s prescription at your local supermarket or drugstore. Most over-the-counter diet pills are also regulated by the FDA and it should say so right on the label. The FDA considers over-the-counter pills to be those that contain the active ingredient phenylpropanolamine (also known as PPA). In 2000, the FDA made it mandatory for drug manufacturers to reformulate PPA containing products after studies were showing evidence that phenylopropanolmine has the potential to increase the risk of stroke and therefore there are very few diet pills on the market with PPA. 

Herbal Diet Supplements – Are also available over the counter with out a prescription. You can typically find a large variety of herbal pills in health food and nutrition stores as well as regular drugstores. Often, herbal supplements are labeled “all natural” and the FDA considers them to be food products and not drugs. In doing so they fall under the jurisdiction of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and they are therefore regulated differently then over-the-counter diet pills.

No matter the diet pill you chose to use you should first consult your doctor prior to starting your new diet. For your own health and safety you should be aware of the benefits along with the potential risks associated with the diet pill of your choice. All natural doesn’t always mean “safe” or that it’s good for you.

On the market are two popular diet supplements – Green Tea and Cayenne Pepper. Studies have shown that Green Tea can help aid weight loss by suppressing the appetite as it gives your metabolism a nice healthy boost. Green Tea is also an antioxidant that helps to ward off certain cancers. You can’t go wrong with green tea, its good for you.

While green tea is good for you and has many healthy benefits it does contain caffeine and should not be abused. Drink green tea in moderation, too much can cause your nerves to over stimulate which in turn promotes insomnia and irritability. If you are on estrogen therapy or if you take birth control pills, you should not drink green tea.

Cayenne Pepper is believed to speed up metabolism while helping the digestive system which will help to shed those extra, pesky pounds. Standard use of cayenne pepper is usually ten grams per meal. Cayenne pepper is helpful with weight loss but it can also help prevent ulcers. Be prepared that the side effect is burning of the mouth!

Green tea and cayenne pepper are just two examples of the many dietary supplements found on the market today. While they have many great benefits and they are all natural you should still consult your doctor prior to starting a new diet.

Most dietary supplements state claims that you can lose weight practically overnight. While these pills can help you to achieve weight loss, for long term success you should also eat a sensible diet and exercise regularly.

Quick Weight Loss Tips

These tips are common sense and sound easy enough but the key is consistently making an effort to do them and include them in your everyday activities whenever possible so you start to feel good and see a difference.

* Going shopping? Park far away on purpose and walk.

* Eat sensibly, if you eat fast food don’t super size and pass on the fries.

* If you drink regular soda, switch to diet. If you simply can’t give up your soda – drink two eight ounce glasses of water to your serving of soda.

* Don’t eat after 8pm late night eating is one of the biggest ways that weight creeps on unnoticeably.

Last year, over 33 billion dollars were spent on weight- loss control products! Magazines, television, doctors offices – every where you turn you see an advertisement for dietary supplements. “Miracle Pills” that state they will melt away the weight in days and weeks. What is the real story? Do these magic pills live up to their claims? Will you lose weight and how much can you expect to lose? Continue reading.

Dietary supplements are available in several different forms such as vitamins, minerals, herbs, powders and more. But how is one to know which is the right one? Which supplement will work? They certainly sound good and make you want to whip out the credit card.

Many Americans are overweight. And most are looking for a quick fix that that will help them melt away the weight but wont’ require much work. While you can lose weight with some of these supplements you should understand what to expect.

Choose Wisely and be Informed

First and foremost prior to taking any dietary supplement you should consult with your doctor. Choose a diet supplement wisely and research the product and its claims.

If a dietary supplement states it is “all natural” or the main ingredients are herbs don’t make the mistake of assuming the product is safe. Most times this is a gimmick to get you to buy the product and it doesn’t work. Also, many all natural products are not governed by the FDA and they can be dangerous if not taken properly.

Many diet supplements can be dangerous for you and your health. Many pills that were once popular have later been recalled by the FDA! Fen-Phen would be the perfect example. Many people were taking Fen-Phen but it was causing heart problems and even fatalities.

Diet supplements almost always contain high amounts of caffeine. As you may know, caffeine is addictive and before you know it over the counter abuse can begin. If you are in fact taking a supplement high in caffeine you should restrict caffeine in other areas of your diet such as soda and coffee. Too much is definitely not a good thing.

If you are obese and you want to lose weight by using dietary supplements you should consult your doctor first. He can help you plan a safe, long-term weight loss goal. Unfortunately with many pills readily available over the counter many people skip the doctor and jump to the pill but it can prove harmful to your health. You should be under a Doctor’s care when using dietary supplements and have your blood pressure checked regularly.