Slimming Pills - Advice on which pills really work

Dieting is difficult. When people set out to lose weight, they understandably want to see results quickly. If you go to your local pharmacy, health store or surf the internet, you’ll find a huge number of weight loss pills that promise the ultimate quick fix - maximum results with minimum effort. Weight loss pills may be widely available but there is always one lingering question:

Do Slimming Pills Really Work?

While there are a host of over the counter weight loss products, there are currently only two weight loss pills available on prescription in the UK - Xenical (Orlistat) and Reductil (Sibutramine).

Xenical is the only weight loss prescription drug which has been approved for online consultation in the UK. Reductil is no longer available through online consultation.

Both of these drugs have been clinically proved to work. Xenical blocks the digestion of fat in the intestine and stops around 30 percent of the fat you’ve eaten from being absorbed. Whereas, Reductil makes you feel more satisfied with less food by boosting levels of serotonin, a chemical that helps you feel full.

These prescription slimming pills work in different ways, however, they must be used in conjunction with diet and exercise modification and can only be prescribed to people who are deemed medically obese or whose weight is causing them health problems.

Before you take action, think carefully about whether you really need to lose weight.You should calculate your BMI (body mass index) to see if you are already the right weight for your height and whether or not slimming pills could be of use to you.

Xenical

What About Over-The-Counter Weight Loss Pills?

There is very little evidence that over-the-counter slimming pills will help you lose weight and keep it off. When they do work this generally has little to do with their ingredients and more likely to do with the fact that you’ve spent a lot of money on something you hope will help you lose weight so without even realising it, you make changes to your lifestyle such as eating less or exercising more.

Outside of the fact that health shop slimming pills can be very expensive, there is little scientific proof they’ll actually work and you could potentially be putting your health at risk.

Some more serious factors to consider:

• Many over-the-counter slimming tablets provide very little information on the packaging, often even failing to provide basic facts on how the product supposedly works to aid weight loss.
• Some slimming pills could be harmful if you have a medical condition or you are on certain medication. They may interfere with prescribed medication for an under-active thyroid or may not be suitable if you have medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
• Some weight loss pills make certain claims such as ‘speeds up metabolism’ but many of these products are not licensed and not much research as been done. Even if research has been carried out, it’s usually only one or two small studies, the results of which haven’t been repeated or seen in larger studies.
• If they recommend cutting out certain foods, this may help you lose weight but you probably won't be following a safe balanced diet.