Benefits of Diet Pills

There are a number of diet pills available both over the counter and by prescription. While all these drugs do have the potential risk of side effects, they also do have some benefits. However, diet pills cannot work effectively without the user's commitment to and practice of behavior modification. Eating less food, reducing junk food and increasing healthier choices such as vegetables, and regular exercise are also essential to weight loss with or without the use of diet pills.

Prescription Diet Pills

• The primary benefit of prescription diet pills such as phentermine is appetite reduction, according to the United States federal government website MedlinePlus. When one's physical appetite is reduced, this can help limit food intake. However, it cannot cure overeating due to bad habits or in response to emotional distress.

Over-the-Counter Diet Pills

• There are also over-the-counter drugs such as Alli that work to block the absorption of some of the fat eaten, according to MedlinePlus. The undigested fat is released when the user passes stools during their usual excrement process. This can help reduce weight because not all the fat is digested in the body. Alli is chemically comprised of orlistat and was formerly marketed as the prescription diet pill Xenical. The drug works best in conjunction with a low-fat diet.

  There are also a number of over-the-counter diet pills that make varying claims but few have been proven beneficial, according to the Mayo Clinic. A few, such as ephedra, may indeed reduce appetite but have been linked to serious risks such as heart attack, stroke, and death.

Possible Risks

• Used properly, there can be benefits to diet pills as an aid to weight reduction. But outweighing some of the risks may also be an important factor. Phentermine can be habit-forming, according to MedlinePlus. It also may lose its effectiveness after three to six weeks of treatment. Potentially serious side effects can include vomiting, chest pain, difficulty exercising, and shortness of breath.

  Alli is under evaluation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as potentially causing serious liver injury in 32 patients between 1999 and 2008, according to MedlinePlus. Six patients experienced liver failure as a possible result of taking the drug. Possible side effects include difficulty controlling bowel movements, stomachache, irregular menstrual periods, oily spotting onto underwear, and anxiety.