If you’re trying to lose weight, or have been attempting to do so for some time without success, weight loss pills might seem like the answer to your problem. You can continue doing what you’re currently doing, take a pill, and get the results you want. Or so it seems.
However, few diet pills are backed by clinical research. Often the diet pills that come with the most extravagant promises are those that cause the most pronounced health complications, including potential chronic kidney disease in susceptible individuals.
Out of all of the organs and body systems affected by weight loss pills, the effects on the kidneys are the most detrimental. In this article, we explore:
- which pills are considered diet supplements
- how most weight loss pills work
- why weight loss pills are dangerous, specifically for your kidneys
- safe weight loss pills you can take with confidence
What are diet pills, anyway?
Before we talk about why diet pills or supplements can harm your kidneys, it’s important to understand what a diet pill is and its implications for those with chronic kidney disease or at risk of kidney failure. After all, not all dietary supplements are designed to cause weight loss.
A diet supplement is an oral product that contains any type of nutrient, herb, or other substance that you wouldn’t otherwise consume in your diet. Some people use dietary supplements because their diet is low in a particular nutrient, whereas others take supplements specifically to lose weight.
Here are some examples of common substances found in diet supplements:
- amino acids
- vitamins
- minerals
- herbs
- enzymes
- extracts
If you take a pill that contains any of the above, you’re taking a diet supplement, and you need to know the implications of doing so. Some of the effects can be deadly.
Related: Contrave® Side Effects
How weight loss pills work
Weight loss pills are dietary supplements that most commonly cause kidney damage. Weight loss pills promise to produce a wide range of effects, like:
- suppressing food cravings
- providing an unnatural feeling of fullness, thereby reducing the number of calories you consume
- increasing your metabolism
- slowing down fat production
- preventing excess fat storage
Some of these promised effects are merely empty promises. However, some diet pills do produce these effects, often by dangerous means. Because dietary supplements are largely unregulated by government agencies, there’s great concern about the negative health implications of them, including the potential for kidney damage.
Why weight loss pills are dangerous for your kidneys
Even if you have no history of kidney conditions, you may be at risk of problems after taking diet supplements, particularly if they contribute to the development of obesity or kidney strain In fact, a recent study found 17 dietary supplements that are associated with kidney damage.
One of the primary issues with diet pills, in addition to their underlying propensity for kidney damage, is that they’re taken by people who are trying to lose weight. This often means that they’re taken by people who are eating high amounts of protein, which can also compromise healthy kidney function and increase the risk of kidney disease in patients.
Foods high in protein typically contain nitrogen byproducts. The kidneys filter these byproducts out of your blood to expel them from the body. If you eat the recommended daily amount of protein, you urinate the nitrogen out of your body along with other waste.
However, if you eat too much protein, you place additional stress on your kidneys, forcing them to work much harder than they should and increasing the risk of CKD among obese patients. Over time, this can cause kidney damage. This means you’re at even greater risk of kidney problems if you decide to take a traditional dietary supplement.
Even smart dieters can easily eat too much protein, especially since protein is touted as the ultimate nutrient for fat loss and muscle gain. As such, it’s important, especially if you’re considering taking a weight loss pill, to watch your nutrient intake.
How to find safe weight loss pills
Not every weight loss drug causes kidney damage. In fact, most problems arise because people take supplements that have been shown to cause problems in the past, or abuse diet supplements, hoping to lose weight more quickly.
It’s best to avoid the diet pills known to cause problems such as:
- increased heart rate
- high blood pressure
- diarrhea
- sleeplessness
- liver damage
These include popular supplements like Ephedra, Hydroxycut, Fen-Phen, and Meridia. Taking any of these might seem tempting, especially if you’re desperate to lose fat, but they aren’t a long-term solution, and aren’t good for your well-being.
Moreover, you shouldn’t be tempted to purchase these, or other imposters, via online auctions or from other “shady” places. Doing so, and ingesting the harmful ingredients that have caused many of these supplements to be pulled from ordinary sale, is only asking for problems with your kidneys and other essential body systems.
The best solution is to find a comprehensive weight loss supplement that works, without the harsh ingredients common to most weight loss drugs on the market. One of the safe diet pills is PhenQ!
What is PhenQ and what makes it different?
Some of the ingredients in PhenQ weight loss pills are found in other weight loss products, but most aren’t. The reason? PhenQ is designed as a safe, effective method of sustainable weight loss. We believe in weight loss that’s fueled by a healthy combination of ingredients you can pronounce and understand.
Some of the ingredients in PhenQ include:
- Capsimax powder – a powerful blend of capsicum, caffeine, and vitamin B3, or niacin.
- Calcium Carbonate – calcium, plain and simple!
- Chromium Picolinate – this is a natural mineral found in many vegetables, whole grains, and meat.
- Caffeine – caffeine, nothing more!
- Nopal – this is part of a cactus, and is rich in fiber and amino acids.
- L-Carnitine Furmarate – this is a naturally occurring amino acid found in red meats, nuts, and vegetables.
While you may not be immediately familiar with the names of some of these ingredients, all are natural and can be found in many of the foods you already eat, contributing to weight management and potentially reducing the risk of obesity. And, when combined with a-Lacys Reset – a clinically proven weight loss supplement ingredient – it makes PhenQ a simple way to lose weight without the dangers of traditional diet pills.
Related: 5 Ways To Stop a “Feeder” From Hindering Your Weight Loss
If you’ve been trying to lose weight, you shouldn’t do so at the expense of your kidneys or other bodily functions. Instead, you should find a safe weight loss pill, like PhenQ, to ensure that when you’re trying to lose weight, you’re doing it with your total health in mind!
