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At Healthfully, we strive to deliver objective content that is accurate and up-to-date. Our team periodically reviews articles in order to ensure content quality. The sources cited below consist of evidence from peer-reviewed journals, prominent medical organizations, academic associations, and government data.
- MayoClinic.com: Over-the-Counter Weight Loss Pills: Do They Work?
- MayoClinic.com: Weight-Loss Drugs: Can a Prescription Help You Lose Weight?
- Weight-control Information Network: Prescription Medication for the Treatment of Obesity
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Overview of Dietary Supplements
The information contained on this site is for informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a professional health care provider. Please check with the appropriate physician regarding health questions and concerns. Although we strive to deliver accurate and up-to-date information, no guarantee to that effect is made.
The Best Diet Pill for Fast Weight Loss
Fast weight loss methods can be ineffective because they don’t get to the root of your weight problem. However, taking diet pills may be an effective part of a well-rounded weight loss plan if you are in a constant battle with the excess pounds, according to MayoClinic.com 12. No one type of weight loss pill is the most effective in all cases, but some types are generally considered safer and more effective than others.
Considerations
No matter how effective a diet pill is in helping to lose weight quickly, you may not be the right candidate for it. Generally, your doctor won’t prescribe a pill for you unless your body mass index puts you in the “obese” category or if your body mass index is in the “overweight” range and you have a serious weight-related medical problem, such as high blood pressure, according to the Weight-control Information Network. Your doctor may also rule out diet pills as an option if he thinks they would interact negatively with a medication you’re taking or with a medical condition you already have.
FDA-Approved Pills
Weight Loss or Gain With Celexa
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Most weight loss pills deemed effective and safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, are by prescription only. These fall into two categories: pills that suppress your appetite and pills that help your body absorb less fat. Phentermine and phendimetrazine are two examples of appetite suppressants and orlistat is an example of a popular lipase inhibitor. In 2007, the first nonprescription weight loss pill to be approved by the FDA was Alli, which contained a weaker dose of the fat blocker orlistat.
- Most weight loss pills deemed effective and safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, are by prescription only.
- In 2007, the first nonprescription weight loss pill to be approved by the FDA was Alli, which contained a weaker dose of the fat blocker orlistat.
Effectiveness
Prescription diet pills can cause you to lose about 5 to 10 percent of your body weight within one year as long as you continue make other healthy lifestyle changes, according to MayoClinic.com 12. These benefits can be enough to significantly reduce health risks such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and insulin resistance. However, you may not see dramatic results because different bodies respond in different ways to weight-loss pills.
Not a Cure
Long-term Effects of Phentermine Use
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Diet pills aren’t a magical cure-all for weight woes, but they may boost the results you get from eating well and exercising often. They can also help you maintain a healthy weight once you reach it, but you may remain in a consistent battle to keep your weight off, warns MayoClinic.com 2. You can expect to see the peak weight loss within about six months of taking the medication and then see your weight level off or go up later.
Other Issues
You and your doctor will also have to weigh the potential benefits of taking a diet pill with the potential risks. Some FDA-approved medications end up being stripped from the market once follow-up research shows that people taking pills have experienced serious side effects. For instance, the weight loss drug sibutramine was removed after being linked to strokes and heart attacks. As of 2011, the lipase inhibitor orlistat was under scrutiny after reports of serious liver injury emerged in some patients taking it.
- You and your doctor will also have to weigh the potential benefits of taking a diet pill with the potential risks.
- As of 2011, the lipase inhibitor orlistat was under scrutiny after reports of serious liver injury emerged in some patients taking it.
Warning About Over-the-Counter Pills
Other than nonprescription orlistat, no over-the-counter diet pill is FDA-approved to aid in weight loss 1. These pills – even the ones labeled “herbal” and “natural” – may also be dangerous because they aren’t subjected to the same controls and standards as prescription medications. To reduce your risk of negative reactions, talk to your doctor first if you’re thinking of trying an over-the-counter pill.
Related Articles
References
- MayoClinic.com: Over-the-Counter Weight Loss Pills: Do They Work?
- MayoClinic.com: Weight-Loss Drugs: Can a Prescription Help You Lose Weight?
- CBS News: First Over-the-Counter Diet Pill Gets OK; Scott Conroy; Feb. 7, 2007
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Prescription medications to treat overweight and obesity. Updated July 2016.
- American Cancer Society. FDA regulation of drugs versus dietary supplements. Updated March 31, 2015.
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Orlistat (marketed as Alli and Xenical) Information.
- Bersoux S, Byun TH, Chaliki SS, Poole KG. Pharmacotherapy for obesity: What you need to know. Cleve Clin J Med. 2017;84(12):951-958. doi:10.3949/ccjm.84a.16094
- Gazewood JD, Barry K. Phentermine/topiramate (Qsymia) for chronic weight management. Am Fam Physician. 2014;90(8):576-578.
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration. SAXENDA (liraglutide [rDNA origin] injection), solution for subcutaneous use.
- Early J, Whitten JS. Naltrexone/bupropion (Contrave) for weight loss. Am Fam Physician. 2015 Apr 15;91(8):554-556.
- Amodeo G, Cuomo A, Bolognesi S, et al. Pharmacotherapeutic strategies for treating binge eating disorder. Evidence from clinical trials and implications for clinical practice. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2019;20(6):679-690. doi:10.1080/14656566.2019.1571041
- U.S. National Library of Medicine. Phentermine hydrochloride. Updated October 19, 2018.
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration. FDA requests the withdrawal of the weight-loss drug Belviq, Belviq XR (lorcaserin) from the market. Updated February 13, 2020.
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration. FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA Recommends Against the Continued Use of Meridia (sibutramine). Updated February 6, 2018.
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration. What you need to know about dietary supplements. Updated November 29, 2017.
- Federal Trade Commission Consumer Safety Information. Dietary supplements. Updated November 2011.
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Medications target long-term weight control. Updated July 17, 2012.
- Márquez F, Babio N, Bulló M, Salas-Salvadó J. Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of hydroxycitric acid or Garcinia cambogia extracts in humans. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2012;52(7):585-94. doi:10.1080/10408398.2010.500551
- Wharton S, Bonder R, Jeffery A, Christensen RAG. The safety and effectiveness of commonly-marketed natural supplements for weight loss in populations with obesity: A critical review of the literature from 2006 to 2016. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2020;60(10):1614-1630. doi:10.1080/10408398.2019.1584873
- National Institute of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Chromium. Updated February 27, 2020.
- Jurgens TM, Whelan AM, Killian L, Doucette S, Kirk S, Foy E. Green tea for weight loss and weight maintenance in overweight or obese adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;12:CD008650. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008650.pub2
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Hoodia. Updated September 2016.
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Public Notification: Oasis Bee Pollen contains hidden drug ingredients. Updated February 12, 2018.
- National Institutes of Health. Ephedra.
- Haller CA, Benowitz NL, Jacob P. Hemodynamic effects of ephedra-free weight-loss supplements in humans. Am J Med. 2005;118(9):998-1003. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2005.02.034
- Ebrahimi-Mameghani M, Jamali H, Mahdavi R, Kakaei F, Abedi R, Kabir-Mamdooh B. Conjugated linoleic acid improves glycemic response, lipid profile, and oxidative stress in obese patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Croat Med J. 2016;57(4):331-42. doi:10.3325/cmj.2016.57.331
- Farrington R, Musgrave IF, Byard RW. Evidence for the efficacy and safety of herbal weight loss preparations. J Integr Med. 2019;17(2):87-92. doi:10.1016/j.joim.2019.01.009
Writer Bio
Christa Miller is a writing professional with expertise in massage therapy and health. Miller attended San Francisco State University to earn a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing with a minor in journalism and went on to earn an Arizona massage therapy license.