What You Should Know About Diet Pills and Anti-Obesity Drugs

When all else fails, people turn to the easy way out. In losing weight, this usually means taking diet pills or anti-obesity drugs. These drugs induce effects that range from changing your bowel movements to reducing your appetite.

Such drugs were created so that they can alter some processes in the body that are fundamental. For this reason, most diet drugs or anti-obesity drugs are only prescribed or recommended to the truly obese. However, some anti-obesity drugs have been made available over the counter. People who are after fat loss usually patronize these drugs.

One of the most popular anti-obesity drugs is Orlistat or also known as tetrahydrolipstatin. Its main function is to keep the fats from being absorbed by the body so the calories taken in are also lesser. This drugs works as an inhibitor. It prevents the pancreatic lipase which is an enzyme that breaks down triglycerides into free fatty acids. Without this enzyme, the triglycerides are excreted out of the body undigested.

The standard intake of Orlistat is 120 mg three times a day before taking meals. According to studies, 30 percent of the dietary fat is prevented from being absorbed. Intake of this drug causes oily and frequent bowel movements so it is also recommended that less fat is taken in. This drug has been made available as an over-the-counter drug.

Another type of anti-obesity drug is the Sibutramine. It suppresses the desire to eat because it is an neurotransmitter reuptake inibitor. It lessens the reuptake serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine therefore promoting the feeling of satiety. It has many side effects such as nausea, upset stomach, constipation, drowsiness, anorgasmia, delayed ejaculation, and many others.

Studies have shown that the human appetite is a great driving force for survival. In addition, our bodies have natural hormones that help us to protect our storage of fat. Taking these things into consideration, it is obvious that anti-obesity drugs and diet pills are not the way to go if you want to lose weight and be healthy long term.

Living a healthy life is a way of life. It doesn't happen overnight. It doesn't happen when you start lessening intake of certain foods. And it most certainly does not happen by taking shortcuts. Discipline is an essential key as any.

All experts will agree that the way to lose fat and reduce your weight is to change your dietary habits and patterns. Take away some of the junk food in your diet and replace those with high fibers and fruits and vegetables. Stop spending your weekends on your beds and couches, get some exercise! Diet and exercise is the only surefire way to fat loss, like it or not.

That is not to say that we should boycott such drugs. These drugs are helpful especially to people whose health is at risk because of obesity. You can also use some of these drugs to jumpstart a change in your eating lifestyle but you should not fully depend on such methods in order to lose weight. Getting healthy is no shortcut; it takes hard work, discipline, and a great deal of patients. These drugs may help you look good in the short term, but will not help you maintain your optimum weight or keep the fats off for a long time.

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