ARTICLE - WEIGHT LOSS PILLS? written by Outside Fitness Consultant Oct 2009
It
has been widely reported that weight loss pills are now available to buy
over the counter. The two most common pills available in the UK are the
Alli and the Appesat pills. The Alli pills are slightly weaker version
of the pill Orlistat which is the prescription only pill for weight loss.
How
do they work?
The two pills work in different ways both resulting in the same effect,
a decrease in calorie intake and therefore a decrease in weight. The
Alli pills work by preventing the body from absorbing fats from the
diet, therefore reducing calorie intake. The second pill, Appesat contains
a seaweed extract that swells in the stomach and tricks the dieter into
feeling full and therefore decrease the appetite and calorie intake.
Who can
buy them?
These weight loss drugs are available to buy over the counter in all
pharmacists by adults with a BMI of 28 (BMI Calculator) but I wouldn't
mind betting than these pills and others can be found and brought on
multiple online stores.
Do they
work without exercise or dieting?
These aren't miracle drugs, there isn't some
kind of chemical reaction which starts to melt away fat as soon as they
are consumed. Alli decreases the amount of fat which is stored in the
body from the NEW calories which you eat which is just the same as eating
a diet low in fat (both resulting in weight lost) Appesat works by making
you feel full without eating as much, just the same as eating less (again,
both resulting in weight loss)
The pills effectively just make dieting easier but working with them alone will be pretty pointless. All experts recommend that the drugs are mixed with sensible exercise and a weight management programme.
What
are the side effects of the drug?
There are known side effects of the Alli pill relating mainly to the
stomach and bowel areas but are more discomforts rather than serious
problems. A quick search in google for 'weight loss pills side effects'
threw just about every possible side effect going into the mixture for
a range of different pills around the world. The problem is that the
pills are new on the market which means no one really knows the long
term effects of the pills.
Are the
pills safe?
I'd like to think that you wouldn't be able to buy a pill over the counter
if it wasn't safe but I am a fitness professional and not a doctor.
Everyone will have a different medical background and will need to consult
their own GP before making a decision to take on weight loss pills.