The Dangers of Diet Pills

Diet pills are a popular solution that many people have turned to in an attempt to shed some pounds, but these miracle pills carry with them many possible side effects. While you may want to turn to a simple pill to lose weight, you should learn a few facts about diet pills and just what effects they can have on your health.

Metabolism

• One danger of diet pills is their effect on your metabolism. As appetite suppressants, diet pills will lead you to eat less, which in turn will lead to lost weight. However, as your body gets less and less caloric intake, your metabolism will respond by slowing down, which in turn will eventually cause your weight loss to plateau as your slower metabolism causes you to lose pounds more slowly. Some diet pills also contain harsh stimulants which can boost your metabolism for a short period and then lead to an eventual crash.

Dependency

• Another danger when using a pill to lose weight is dependency. Whether a pill is effective or not, many people trick themselves into believing that they need to continue taking it in order to lose weight. While most pills claim to be non-habit forming, addiction can be mental as well as physical. If a pill is found effective, a person can then be in danger of wanting to lose more and more weight and taking more pills as time goes on, which can lead to dangerous consequences such as overdosing.

Cardiovascular Dangers

• Diet pills can also have a very dangerous effect on your cardiovascular health. Some diet pills on the market contain stimulants which speed up your heart rate in order to make you lose weight. These stimulants can cause many problems, including irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, tremors, anxiety, chest pains, and even stroke and death. While some stimulants (e.g., ephedrine) have been banned for use in diet pills, pills manufactured by other countries and imported to the United States have been found to contain these dangerous stimulants. There is also the added fact that some newer ingredients found in diet pills are not yet regulated by the FDA, so while they may be legal, they may not always be safe. So if you are planning to take any sort of diet pill, make sure you examine the ingredients thoroughly and research exactly what they are and their possible side effects.

Insomnia

• A very common side effect of diet pills is insomnia. This is because most diet pills contain some levels of caffeine in them to help boost your energy, and most average adults already get some level of caffeine in their daily diet. When you add to your normal intake a pill taken once or twice daily that has just as much caffeine, this can lead to sleep problems like insomnia or restlessness because your body's energy levels have been put out of whack.

Failure to Work

• While not exactly a danger to your health, there is one danger diet pills pose to your wallet and that's failure to work. Many diet pill commercials boast photographic proof of results and interviews with happy thin people who got that way because of the advertised pill. However, almost all of these commercials contain fine print at the bottom of the screen, stating that these wonderful results are not typical of the drug. So the next time you find yourself tempted by a commercial boasting a miracle weight loss pill, make sure you read the tiny lettering at the bottom before picking up your phone to order.

Alternatives and Warnings

• The best alternative to a diet pill is simple: exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet. This is a natural and healthy way to maintain a normal body weight and avoid any adverse health risks while trying to shed some extra pounds.
  If you are looking to lose weight, instead of turning to diet pills, talk to your doctor and/or nutritionist. These professionals can set you up with a diet plan and suggestions for the healthiest way to lose weight.
  If you are considering going on any sort of diet pill, as with any medication, talk to your doctor to find out any possible benefits and risks.