What diet pills are available?
There is a barrage of advertisement for over the counter diet pills often making claims of dramatic weight loss. No over the counter weight loss pill has been proven to help with weight loss and none is regulated by any government agency. This means you don’t really know if what you are taking could be harmful to your health.
Almost all over the counter diet pills have caffeine as their main active ingredient (they used to have ephedra too) because caffeine and other stimulants do cause appetite suppression. Almost all doctors agree steering clear of these medications - they are a waste of your money and their unknown ingredients can potentially cause medical problems.
There are two medications currently approved by the FDA for weight loss and available with a prescription: Xenical (orlistat) and Meridia. Orlistat interferes with the ability to digest fat and Meridia acts in the brain to give the feeling of being full. Both medications are approved for short term use (up to 1 year). The average range of weight loss WITH diet and exercise is 5-20 pounds over 6 months. These medications tend to be expensive and each has their own side effects, including anal leakage for Orlistat. Little is known about the health effects of use for more than one year, and most people regain the weight they lost when they stop using the medications. Orlistat and Meridia are mainly used with diet and exercise for motivated people with medical problems from being overweight.
If you have been prescribed one of these diet pills, you can find comparisons of different pharmacies to find the cheapest prescriptions on our site.
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