The “diet pill” has an obvious appeal to anyone who wants to lose weight fast, and with very little effort. What life would be wonderful if we could just pop a pill and body fat just melted away. Everyone knows or should know at least that if something sounds too easy or too good to be true, that’s because it is.
Each scientist, doctor, dietitian and fitness trainer will tell you to take diet pills is frankly dangerous, but is it? And if so, then how dangerous is it?
Well, according to scientists, some diet pills can cause panic attacks, strokes and even fatal heart attacks. Some of these “drugs”, better known as phentermine are closely related to mphetamines, so the work as an appetite suppressant, stimulating the release of brain chemicals, which in turn reduces the sensations of hunger.
An overdose can lead to hallucinations, convulsions, severe headaches, blurred vision and vomiting. Is all this information a little nervous? It should be. And there’s more. Here are some other so-called miracle slimming cures, which come in the form of a convenient pill.
The diet pill
— Amfepramone. This medicine is known as “diethylpropion” in the UK, and is a prescription appetite suppressant branded as Apisate Tenuate or prohibited by the Agency for Approval of Medicine in 1999 for security reasons. It works by simulating the effects of norepinephrine in the nervous system to suppress hunger.
— Phenylpropanolamine (PPA). PPA is a vasoconstrictor used in nasal congestants and cough medicines, is not approved in the UK for the treatment of obesity. It is still used to control urinary incontinence in dogs.
— Ritalin (methylphenidate). Ritalin is approved for the treatment of attention deficit with hyperactivity, and not for weight loss. Side effects are increased heart rate and blood pressure increase, which can greatly stress the cardio-vascular system. A schedule 2 controlled drug, classed alongside amphetamines.
— Clenbuterol. Clenbuterol was originally developed as a treatment for asthma, but also appears to increase metabolic rate and causes people to lose fat and gain muscle. It is banned by the International Olympic Committee due to its abuse by athletes and body builders. Clenbuterol is also used in a veterinary product for the treatment of respiratory problems in horses. After poisoning episodes linked to the consumption of meat containing residues of clenbuterol, its use is strictly controlled.
Most alarming of all is that these drugs can be easily purchased over the Internet by unscrupulous dealers based outside the European Union.
Pills that can be legitimately purchased in the UK include the popular “Slim Bomb” weight loss pills. The manufacturers argue that many years of intensive research has gone into this little blue pill and the formula that has undergone many changes the last to produce rigorous and highly efficient offering.
These pills are made from a combination of herbal extracts and other natural substances that are believed to cause a reaction of thermogenesis in the body. This reaction is supposed to stimulate and accelerate the metabolic rate, which in turn reduces hunger and cravings produce the kind of calorie burning effects associated with the more physical activity as exercise. While all the ingredients seem to be of organic origin, there is no clinical evidence to confirm its effectiveness as a weight loss aid.
So what can we deduce from this information about pills? Apparently, at worst are dangerous to their health and in the best of them simply do not work. Diet should avoid buying any pills only available online, as their pedigree is dubious at best, and may not comply with EU regulations.
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