ArtsAutosBooksBusinessEducationEntertainmentFamilyFashionFoodGamesGenderHealthHolidaysHomeHubPagesPersonal FinancePetsPoliticsReligionSportsTechnologyTravel

Weight Loss Pills Do They Work?

Updated on March 28, 2008

Do Weight Loss Drugs Work?

It is a frightening fact that increasing numbers of people worldwide are gaining weight; the worrying factor is that school children are also affected by this, according to recent studies. The two main methods that people currently employ to shed excess pounds are surgery which might be considered excessive by some, or exercising and eating more healthily. If surgery isn't bad enough, increasing numbers of overweight people start to take weight loss drugs as a fast and relatively inexpensive way to shed excess fat.

These drugs work in a variety of ways but mainly they try to fool the brain into thinking the stomach is full and increase the person's metabolism. These drugs were quickly removed from circulation when tests revealed that one of the more dangerous side effects was an increased risk of heart valve disease. More recently, new drugs have been developed and prescribed by doctors; many of which are still waiting for FDA approval.

The chances are that if you asked enough people, someone will say they have used them and been happy with the results. To many it is a wonder drug and let's be honest, if you could lose weight that easily without having to sacrifice anything in the process, you would take them as well. This approach has seen consumers spend millions of dollars every year and has generated huge profits for the drug companies who manufacture and sell the weight loss drug.

An individual wishing to buy weight control pills can do so over-the-counter or have them prescribed by their doctor; however there are still health risks associated with their use. You must check the packet carefully before you decide to use them because some of the other side effects can be even more harmful, like the possibility of a heart attack or even a stroke, with hallucinations, tremors, breathing problems and convulsions all recorded as side effects for users of these drugs.

The side effects will depend on the person taking the medicine and can be related to their lifestyle; a consultation with the doctor first, rather than buying them over the counter, can help to reduce side effects; stopping using the drugs completely may not eradicate all the problems they may have caused. The side effects experienced by users of weight loss pills can include noticeable mood swings, hyper-activity, stomach pains, insomnia, nightmares, severe irritability, extreme fatigue, depression, nausea, vomiting and trembling.

Whilst the effectiveness of these weight loss drugs is not in question, they are more effective if they are used alongside a controlled diet and exercise regime. This means eating a good diet containing food from all the food groups that includes vitamins and minerals; fiber can be found in oats, rice, potatoes, cereals, vegetables and fruits.

As far as the exercise is concerned, this needs to be worked out in advance after a physical examination by your doctor. A good exercise plan with the use of weights will help improve the body's ability to burn off the calories and maintain a healthy heart.

Does Hoodia Work?

Products to control weight are numerous and every week there seems to be yet another 'quick fix' solution although the ‘Hoodia' plant could be the exception; people serious about losing weight naturally are becoming excited by this discovery. Now, many natural dietary products claim to use Hoodia as the weight loss constituent; products containing extracts of this plant are highly sought after. However, do you know what this mysterious plant is and why weight loss treatments based on it are in so much demand?

Found in some of the deserts of South Africa, the Hoodia is a cactus, one of thirteen different varieties. The Gordonii species has the ability to suppress (and eliminate) the appetite of someone who eats it. In fact, this cactus is so good at reducing the appetite that it is considered, by medical science, as the most effective appetite inhibitor on the planet. This is probably why it is in great demand.

The cactus was in fact studied for quite some time by scientists around the world before it was allowed to be used. One of the examples of its effectiveness was quite astounding as it consisted of a number of BBC workers who volunteered to eat just a single Hoodia leaf. Nobody on the team required food or drink, once they had consumed it, for the entire day.

People fortunate enough to use Hoodia weight loss products that contain extracts from this plant do not experience any ill effects when used. This cannot be said for other types of appetite suppressants. The strange thing is the fact that whilst the product is being used, it does not make the user feel tired or listless.

Nevertheless, whilst it is being taken, the user should still drink plenty of fluids and eat a healthy diet. The purpose of the Hoodia weight loss pill is not to starve yourself but to control unnatural and unnecessary food cravings; this will not benefit a person however, if they eat so little they make themselves ill. Many people are turning to Hoodia as the right way to keep their meals on the right track.

It is important to mention that products containing the true ingredient are quite expensive as this plant is quite rare. This explains the high production costs. You can find many companies selling Hoodia weight loss products online but be aware that if they are cheap, they are probably not genuine. Weight loss products that contain Hoodia extract are expensive but worth every penny so do not buy products that claim to use the extract that are sold cheaply.

working

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: https://corp.maven.io/privacy-policy

Show Details
Necessary
HubPages Device IDThis is used to identify particular browsers or devices when the access the service, and is used for security reasons.
LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)