What you’ll learn in this blog |
Did you know that a staggering 91% of women are self-conscious about their bodies?
In addition, our own research showed that 72% of women have always been overweight - yo-yo dieting and struggling to maintain weight loss. Sustainable weight loss can be challenging, no matter your diet or exercise routine.
So, it is no surprise that many women who wish to lose weight turn to products to help them lose weight and be more comfortable with their bodies.
In recent years, diet pills have exploded in popularity. You’ve probably seen them advertised on social media, or one of your friends might have recommended them - especially if you’ve been searching for weight loss techniques on Google.
An estimated 33.9% of people in the US have turned to dietary supplements and weight loss pills to aid their weight loss journey.
However, can you experience meaningful results with diet pills?
And, more importantly, are they safe to use?
In this blog, we’re exploring the safety of diet pills to help you figure out if you should be using them as part of your weight loss journey.
You need to know if diet pills are safe…
Millions of women worldwide want to know if diet pills are safe to take…
As much as you might want to lose a little weight, you also want to ensure that you are not sacrificing your current and future health in this pursuit.
And if you are thinking of taking PhenQ or another diet pill - safety is of the utmost importance.
And the simple answer to that question is… it depends.
While many diet pills are entirely safe to use, there are multiple types, including prescription and over-the-counter.
So, conducting detailed background research on the medication you are thinking of taking is essential.
If you are in any doubt about the safety of diet pills for you specifically, then speak to a doctor before taking any diet pills.
Plus, you need to take them as intended and not deviate from the manufacturer's instructions - or they can pose a significant risk to your health.
So let’s get a little into the different types of weight loss pills, as well as the ingredients and potential side effects.
What are weight loss pills (and how do they work)?
First, let's talk about weight loss pills and how they work…
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Weight loss pills are tablets taken alongside a healthy diet and exercise regime to increase weight loss. |
Most diet pills work using one of the three mechanisms:
- Reducing appetite, making you feel more full so that you eat fewer calories
- Reducing the absorption of nutrients such as fat, making you take in fewer calories
- Increasing fat burning, making you burn more calories
Regardless of what mechanism they use, weight loss drugs will help you eat less, or improve fat absorption - resulting in weight loss.
Usually, you’ll take one diet pill daily and at the same time of day (for example, 9 AM).
You still have to exercise and eat healthily - you can’t just eat junk food and hope to lose weight. But weight loss supplements will help people struggling to maintain a healthy weight, lower blood pressure and ultimately prevent weight gain.
Prescription vs. Over-the-Counter Diet Pills
This is one of the major differences between the weight loss drugs available on the market these days.
- Prescription
- Over-the-counter
The choice you make will be dependent on your personal goals, as well as your current health, as deemed by a health care professional.
Prescription weight loss pills…
Of course, prescription drugs must be prescribed by a qualified health professional.
And there are usually some caveats associated with this prescription - often related to body mass index (BMI). So, prescription weight loss medications are not available to everyone.
Most weight loss pills that doctors prescribe are FDA-approved which means that in theory, they are:
- Safe
- Proven to work
- meet federal standards.
Although, in theory, prescription pills are safe,
What ingredients do diet prescription diet pills contain?
One of the most significant concerns about diet pills is the ingredients inside them.
The ingredients in different prescriptions drugs can vary, but some of the most commonly used are
- Phentermine (used to reduce appetite)
- Orlistat (used to reduce fat absorption)
- Sibutramine (used to help maintain weight loss)
Previously, ingredients such as Ephedrine have been used in weight loss supplements but have been banned in the US due to safety concerns.
To help put your mind at rest, you should always check the ingredients used in diet pills before taking them (especially if you’re taking other medications, too).
And if you are in any doubt your Doctor will be able to talk you through any health and side-effect concerns.
Related content:
- The side effects of taking Orlistat for weight loss
- Your complete guide to Phentermine side effects, history and dosage
Over-the-counter weight loss pills…
Alternatively, you can buy over-the-counter diet pills at your local healthcare or drug store. You may even find these are cheaper than through your doctor.
These will contain non-prescription and natural ingredients that help to boost metabolism and increase fat burning.
Some of the ingredients you may see in non-prescription weight loss supplements include
There are many more ingredients used, and some will be more effective than others. This does mean that in general, the efficacy of over-the-counter weight loss supplements is uncertain, as there is such a variation in the ingredients - some will be more effective than others.
You will need to explore the ingredients and determine whether they will help you lose weight.
Again, it’s a good idea to speak to a healthcare professional before taking over-the-counter diet supplements if you are in any doubt about their safety.
The Potential Side Effects of Diet Pills
Of course, the side effects are one of the main consideration when it comes to weight loss medications.
And this depends on whether they are prescription or natural over-the-counter.
Some of the most common side effects reported include
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Low blood pressure
- Digestive problems
- Skin tingling
- A racing heart
- Dry mouth
- Headaches
However, some, particularly prescription weight loss medications have more concerning side effects such as
- Diarrhea
- Bladder pain
- Fatty, oily or loose stools
- Insomnia
- Constipation
- Hyperactivity
Of course, everyone is different, and you may not get any side effects, however, it might be a case of seeing what agrees with you. You should always check to see what your specific side effects might be.
If you experience adverse side effects, you should speak to your doctor and stop taking them.
When Should You Try Diet Pills?
So, is it a good idea to take weight loss pills?
Losing weight can be demoralizing, especially if you are struggling to lose those extra few pounds as you get older.
If that’s the case - you might want to try and take supplements that can help you aid weight loss, and live a more healthy lifestyle.
Whether or not you go with prescription or over-the-counter will depend on your personal circumstances (ie. what your body mass index is) and whether or not you want the side effects of taking medications.
Are PhenQ weight loss pills safe?
So, what about PhenQ?
PhenQ is a food supplement containing only natural ingredients, with a strong safety record and no known side effects reported.
It works by using natural ingredients such as
- Capsimax Powder
- Caffeine
- Nopal Cactus
- L-Carnatine Fumarate
- Chromium Picolinate
However, as with any weight loss supplement, if you do have any existing health problems, we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor or health practitioner before you take PhenQ.
Should you use diet pills to help lose weight?
Well, the main thing to remember is that there isn’t one type of “diet pill” - so it’s impossible to say whether or not they are all safe or not.
Yes - they certainly can be safe, and formulas like PhenQ offer a natural solution to help aid weight loss. While some prescription formulas will be effective, they may also have more serious side effects.
Nevertheless, diet pills could be the solution if you’ve always struggled with losing weight (and have failed to see positive results from natural weight loss methods).
It’s up to you to decide whether or not they are a good solution for your weight loss journey.
If you wish to check out how PhenQ works then you can have a look here.
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