Appetite Suppressant Pills: Safety
When you’re trying to lose weight, controlling your appetite is a must. Appetite refers to the urge to eat or drink. Unfortunately, you may crave food even when your body doesn’t require the calories for energy. Appetite suppressants may help control cravings, but are they safe?
What are appetite suppressants?
It’s the most popular form of weight loss supplement. An appetite suppressant will reduce a person’s desire for food in order to help them loose weight. A popular form of appetite suppressant is a bulking agent, which will absorb liquid in the stomach and swell up larger, making a person feel full when really they aren’t.
Here are some facts:
A wide variety of appetite suppressants are available. Weight loss aids are not subject to the same standards as prescription drugs and can be marketed without being proven safe. The end result is some appetite suppressants aren’t really effective, while others may actually be dangerous.
How they work:
Appetite suppressants will help reduce your desire for food. Many appetite suppressants are considered bulking agents, which absorb liquid in the stomach, causing you to feel full even if you’re not. Some contain guar gum, which can cause obstructions in the intestinal tract.
Prescription:
Patients who are obese and are at increased medical risk because of their weight may obtain appetite suppressants with a prescription. Prescriptions may be for short-term use or for long-term use. Orlistat and sibutramine are the only prescription weight loss medications approved for long-term use.
Warning!
If you have heart disease, you should avoid appetite suppressants. According to the Mayo Clinic, some have side effects which can include restlessness, nervousness and high blood pressure.
Considerations
The most effective way to lose weight is through lifestyle changes, such as increasing your physical activity and controlling portion sizes. Appetite suppressants aren’t a magical solution to losing weight and can sometimes do more harm than good.
This entry was posted on Monday, July 12th, 2010 at 2:07 pm and is filed under Oh So Random, Useful Stuffs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
