According to statistics, about two thirds of the US adult population are either obese or overweight. As a result, it is no wonder why there are now currently over 50 individual dietry supplements and over 125 commercial combination products on the market.

Weight loss pills work by burning excess fats in your body or tricking your brain into thinking that your stomach is full.

With the increasing number of individuals and our continued dependence on everything instant, we tend to look at band-aid solutions to our problems. As many medical professionals will tell you, there’s still no substitute to the basics of weight loss through a balanced diet and regular exercise.

Standards for Weight Loss Supplements

Weight loss supplements come in various forms such as:

• capsules and tablets
• powders
• liquids
• soft gels

Weight Loss Supplements

Normally, they contain vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and herbs or combinations of the same. In some cases, active synthetic ingredients such asphenylpropanolamine are included to encourage weight loss.

Unfortunately, many weight loss supplements are not subjected to rigorous standards applied to prescription drugs or over the counter medicines. They are usually marketed without adequate proof of safety or effectiveness. The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) is continuously closing down operators that make unsubstantiated claims.

Supplements to look out for:

• Ephedra - banned by the FDO due to serious side effects such as autonomic or gastrointestinal adverse events and heart palpitations.
• Chromium - whilst showing promising results, it's long term safety is uncertain.
• Guar Gum and Chitosan
• Conjugated Linoleic Acid
• Ginseng
• Glucomannan
• Green Tea Extract
• Hydroxycitric Acid
• L-Carnitine
• Psyllium
• Pyruvate
• St. John's Wort

Whatever reviews you may get a hold, the claims are typically based on manufacturer’s interpretation of studies and not necessarily authorized by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration).

Be careful with taking cough medicine with diet pills you buy without a prescription. Also never take more than the daily recommended dosage as they can lead to high blood pressure. If you have any doubts, consult your pharmacist or doctor.

Which Pills To Take

The FDO have approved the following prescription based weight loss pills:

• Dexedrine and other amphetamines
• Ionamin and Adipex-P (phentermine)
• Sanorex (mazindol)
• Tenuate (diethylpropion)
• Prelu-2 (phendimetrazine) and other amphetamine derivatives
• Meridia (sibutramine)

Effectiveness

As supplements, they may not be effective on their own. Supplements are intended as an aid to a healthy diet and regular exercise. This is the reason why many experts will usually advise you that diet and exercise should be the answer to your weight loss problems.

Diet pills are not magic pills and WILL NOT work if you do not make necessary dietary and exercise changes.