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Diet Drugs Information
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Diet
Drugs and Safe
Alternatives |
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Weight loss
drugs are generally anorexiants. FDA regulated diet drugs have been evaluated
and approved for weight loss as part of an exercise and behavioral modification
plan. In many instances, the long-term effects of diet medications have not
been well established. Most diet drugs effectiveness diminishes over time, as
the human body adjusts to them. Thus, ever increasing dosage is required to
achieve effective results making some diet drugs potentially addictive and
dangerous. Weight loss drugs require a doctors prescription and continuous
monitoring, and unless instructed by a doctor, dieters should use non-drug
methods to lose weight. Pregnant and women nursing should avoid diet medications
including herbal and over-the-counter diet pills. |
Safe No Presciption Diet
Drug Alternatives:
Before emabarking on using a diet drug you may want
to review other diet products that can help you manage your weight. There are
powerful effective diet products that offer similar benefits without the
potential dangerous side effects.
Non-Prescription All Natural Effective Diet Pills may be more appealing
to dieters.
These natural non-addictive diet supplements, do not
pose the risk and the many potential side effects and drug interactions that a
diet drugs do. Learn more here.
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Over-the-Counter Diet Drugs
and Ephedra Diet Pills
Over-the-counter diet
pills that contain phenylpropanolamine such as Acutrim and Dexatrim effectively
suppress appetite, but have been known to cause severe high blood pressure and
stroke if taken in doses of 75 mg or higher in the immediate-release form. The
FDA has moved to take such products off the market.
A number of over-the-counter
Ephedra diet remedies also known as Ma Huang can cause a number of side effects,
including infrequent cases of severe rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure,
psychosis, heart attacks and seizures. Pseudoephedrine, an ingredient commonly
found in many antihistamines, has similar effects and is sometimes used by
dieters.
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Xenical / Orlistat Diet
Drug
Orlistat (Xenical) can help
about one third of obese patients with modest weight loss, and can assist in
long term maintenance of weight loss. It reduces the body's absorption of fat
from foods thereby reducing weight and cholesterol. Orlistat blocks the action
of lipase, an enzyme in the intestine that breaks down fat. Xenical is a
stimulant. Studies have found that at the end of the first year Orlistat users
achieve an average of 5% to 10% drop in body weight. Studies are also reporting
that the drug may delay or prevent the onset type 2 diabetes, improve
cholesterol levels regardless of weight loss, and reduce blood pressure. The
drug can cause gastrointestinal problems and may interfere with absorption of
the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E and other important
nutrients.
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Conjugated linoleic acid
(CLA) Diet Pills
Limited studies on conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)
suggest that it may reduce body fat and insulin levels in type 2 diabetics.
However, adverse side effects are frequent.
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Chitosan Diet
Pills
Chitosan, a dietary fiber
from shellfish helps prevent a little fat from being absorbed in the intestine,
but limited studies have not shown that it contributes to weight loss.
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Garcinia
Garcinia (also called
mangosteen) is a tropical fruit containing hydroxycitric acid, with purported
fat burning benefits. While theoretically promising, to date there has been no
extensive major well-conducted study showing significant weight loss with
Garcinia.
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Meridia / Sibutramine
Diet Drug
Sibutramine (Meridia) keeps
two important brain chemicals -- serotonin and norepinephrine -- in balance,
which helps to increase metabolism. It causes a feeling of fullness and
increases energy levels. Studies indicate that sibutramine assists with weight
loss and helps maintain it. Patients who discontinue the drug, however, report
significant weight gain afterward. Some studies also report improved cholesterol
and other lipid levels with the use of this drug.
Common side effects include
dry mouth, constipation, and insomnia. Of concern are reports of increases in
heart rate and blood pressure. Two studies reported significant improvements in
cholesterol levels. Experts believe sibutramine is probably safe, but the
long-term effects are still unknown. People who have a history of high blood
pressure, stroke, heart disease, or arrhythmias and or are taking decongestants,
bronchodilators (such as for asthma), monoamine oxidase inhibitors, or serotonin
reuptake inhibitors should also avoid sibutramine.
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Redux, Fen-Phen and other
Serotonin-Releasing Anorexiants
Serotonin-releasing
anorexiants increase the availability of serotonin, a chemical in the brain that
prevents depression and reduces calorie consumption. Unfortunately, the most
popular of these drugs have very serious side effects, including development of
abnormalities in the valves of the heart and, uncommonly, a potentially
life-threatening condition called pulmonary hypertension. As a result,
dexfenfluramine (Redux), fenfluramine (Pondimin), and the combination drug
commonly called fen-phen, fenfluramine (Pondimin) have been pulled from the
market. Studies report that changes may occur in patients taking the drugs for
more than three months. To date, even in these patients, there do not seem to be
serious complications. Taking the drugs for a short period (two to three months)
appears to do no harm at all. Patients who were treated with Redux, Pondimin, or
phen-fen for more than three months should have a thorough cardiovascular exam,
including an echocardiogram. Many women who had valvular abnormalities had been
taking multiples of the recommended dosages. Others were also on Prozac, an
antidepressant that also increases serotonin and intensifies the effects of the
diet drugs.
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Phentermine, Ionamin,
Adipex, Fastin, Didrex Sympathomimetics
Sympathomimetics are agents
that act like the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (a stress hormone). Less
addictive and possibly safer than amphetamines, these drugs still raise blood
pressure. They are approved for short-term use and include phentermine (Ionamin,
Adipex, Fastin), diethylpropion, mazindol (Mazanor, Sanorex), benzphetamine
(Didrex), and phendimetrazine (Adipost, Botril, Melfiat, Plegine, Prelu-2,
Statobex). Phentermine has been withdrawn from the UK market but not the US.
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Accomplia Diet
Drug
The hot new diet drug in the
news is the French drug called Accomplia Rimonabant. It was created to help
people quit smoking and lose fat by blocking circuitry in the brain that gives
the body cravings.
The diet drug, rimonabant
accomplia, which could be available in a year or two, is an appetite
suppressant, but works by an entirely new approach by blocking the same primeval
circuitry in the brain that gives pot-smokers the munchies. The French firm
Sanofi-Synthelabo plans to seek U.S. approval to sell it under the brand
Accomplia after more studies are finished next year.
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Top Weight Loss Supplements
Reviewed
We've researched hundreds of
weight loss products available in your local stores and online and weeded
through all the hype, to provide you with our top diet products reviews. The top
three best performing weight loss diet supplements/products used safely by
consumers are:
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Laxatives: Senna,
Aloe, Buckthorn, Rhubarb Root, Cascara, and Castor Oil for Weight
Loss
Many dietary
herbal teas contain laxatives can cause gastrointestinal distress and, if
overused, may lead to chronic pain, constipation and even dependency. In rare
cases, dehydration and death have occurred. Some laxative substances found in
teas include Senna, Aloe, Buckthorn, Rhubarb Root, Cascara and Castor oil.
Also, fiber supplements containing guar gum have also been known to cause
obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract.
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Our
comprehensive diet products reviews and experience has shown that weight loss
results can be best achieved with effectious ingredients in large enough
quantities to make a difference.
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Combined
multi prong weight loss programs achieve improved sustained weight loss. Weight
loss performance was greatly enhanced when dieting was combined with the use of
effective weight loss aides.
Our top
selection for best overall weight loss aide goes to
Phenternin a Superior
Hoodia
diet
aide. This weight loss product demonstrates best of class
effective powerful appetite suppression combined with a hefty and potent 750mg
of South
African
Hoodia
gordonii for the potential for fast weight loss results at a reasonable cost. See
the full diet product review
here.
ConsumerDietReview Staff and
Contributors
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Diet Pills Do Work!
The trick is to weed out the ones that don't. That's why our editors have thoroughly researched just about every diet product
on the market and have written in-depth reviews. We cut through the marketing
hype and deliver the diet facts.
We carefully analyzed and reviewed 5 important
criteria:
- Effectiveness (weight loss potential)
- Safety
- Value (weight loss/dollar spent)
- Guarantee
- Marketing Techniques (unrealistic claims, autoship programs, etc.)
Visit our Top 10 Diet Pills Reviews and learn which diet pills made the cut.
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Top 5 Diet Scams:
Experts weigh in on the top 5 diet scams and how to avoid them. Top diet scams include claims / diet aides:
* "Free Diet Trials"
* "Lose 30 pounds in 30 days!"
* Wear this and watch the pounds melt away.
* Diet patches, jewelry, or other products worn on the body
* Phony, doctored, and bogus "Before and After" photos
* Body wraps or "slim suits"
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