Why are weight loss drugs dangerous?
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Most women secretly dream of "supertabletkah", which can be taken without any effort to lose those extra pounds. But, alas, there are no such drugs for today. Most tablets for weight loss "work" only in conjunction with diet and exercise.
Food substitutes
Their main task is to replace one or several meals, reducing the total caloric intake. These slimming products are usually released in the form of cocktails. They contain some swelling fiber and substances that reduce appetite. But the main thing in them is a suspension of amino acids, proteins and vitamins, imitating a full-fledged food.
Cocktails are low in calories. Most often they are consumed instead of breakfast or lunch, and in the evening they eat a full dinner, which does not exceed the norm for calorie content. Cocktails should not be taken longer than the firm advises. For them, there are practically no contraindications. However, some women have an allergy to food substitutes.
Pros: Cocktails rarely cause harm to health, because they have a minimum of chemical compounds. Well suited for unloading days as a full-fledged alternative to apple, kefir and other mono-diets. When used correctly, they are effective enough.
Cons: This diet is difficult to sustain. If you start taking a cocktail along with the usual food, you can get well. Substitutes of food quickly become boring, and the expected effect of satiety can not be felt by far not all. A half-starved state reduces efficiency. In some women, cocktails can cause difficulties with the stool, which pass after returning to a normal diet.
Suppressing appetite
The main purpose of these drugs, sold only on prescription, is to dull the feeling of hunger and help to withstand a low-calorie diet. Usually they act on the nervous system and can cause emotional arousal. After a short burst of power, their decline sets in, possibly physical and nervous exhaustion. Appointed in exceptional cases, most often with severe obesity.
Pros: Do not torment the feeling of hunger.
Cons: Get rid of stored fat without physical exertion and reduce caloric intake is impossible. A large number of side effects. Some drugs in this group have a negative effect on the cardiovascular system. Perhaps the development of mental dependence, nervous excitability, insomnia, euphoria, sweating, dizziness.
Creating an illusion of satiety
These dietary supplements are taken before meals. The ballast substances in their composition swell in the stomach and create the illusion of saturation. As a result, a person eats less than usual food. However, ballast substances do not directly affect the process of weight loss.
Many dietary supplements for weight loss from this group are made on the basis of seaweed - such as kelp, fucus. They contain special dietary fibers that have the ability to remove excess fats from the body.
Pros: Virtually harmless. Normalize the stool in those who suffer from constipation. Purify the intestines, remove the toxins. Affordable price.
Cons: Low efficiency. The state of hunger and satiety is determined not only by subjective sensations in the stomach. To a greater extent, hunger is caused by the content of glucose in the blood and glycogen in the liver. Accordingly, the stomach may seem complete, but the feeling of hunger still does not go away. May cause loosening of the stool. Fiber reduces the absorption of vitamins and trace elements. For the prevention of vitamin deficiency is a constant intake of multivitamins.
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Diuretics
Most often, they are not used alone, but are included in complex dietary supplements for weight loss, for example in teas. Their action is based on the fact that salty, sweet and fatty foods include the mechanisms of fluid retention in the body. With the help of diuretics this fluid is removed and creates the illusion of weight loss.
Pros: Rapid weight loss. Low price.
Cons: Weight gain in this case occurs as quickly as loss. The amount of fat in the body remains the same. Continuous use of diuretics increases the risk of health problems. The loss of potassium and water leads to muscle weakness, flabbiness of the skin, irregular heart rhythm.
Laxatives
Often, "weight loss" teas and capsules include laxative components. These drugs are often masked under the name "biologically active additive, activating peristalsis and normalizing digestion." However, the laxative can only be used as a temporary measure, which helps to cleanse the intestines.
Pros: Relatively fast weight loss. Purify the intestines, remove the toxins. Low price.
Cons: Many side effects. To laxative habituation develops: to obtain the effect, it is necessary to constantly increase the dosage. Regular artificial emptying of the intestine leads to the breakdown of natural mechanisms. Recover lost functions can be difficult: after the end of the intake of such supplements are often constipation. Possible loss of potassium and other useful salts. Insufficiently digested vitamins.
Fat Blockers
Preparations of this group interfere with the absorption of fats that enter the body with food. This can be achieved in two ways. In the first case, the action of the enzyme that breaks down the fat is blocked. As a result, fats are removed from the intestine in an unchanged form. This principle is based on the popular drug xenical, which is dispensed from pharmacies according to a doctor's prescription.
The second way - use to eliminate excess fats of dietary supplements containing chitosan. This substance is extracted from the shells of crustaceans. Chitosan absorbs molecules of fat and removes them in an undigested form.
Pros: Funds of this type are harmless enough. They allow you not to deny yourself fatty foods and at the same time gradually lose weight. Can be used for a relatively long time. Additionally lower the level of cholesterol. Chitosan preparations regulate the work of the intestine.
Cons: If a person does not eat fatty foods, the result of taking fat-blockers is approaching zero. Decrease the effectiveness of drugs, and in the event that you consume a lot of sweet. Can cause irritation of the intestine, increased gas production, diarrhea and "fatty" stool.
Fat Burners
One of the most common to date dietary supplements for weight loss. According to the manufacturers, these drugs are struggling with the fat deposits that are present in the body. Most often, such dietary supplements are produced on the basis of bromelain - an enzyme released from pineapple. The same group includes additives based on Guarana South American and Garcinia Cambodian.
Meanwhile, bromelain only helps digestion. To reach subcutaneous fat this enzyme, alas, is not able. The effect of bromelain is very insignificant. Most scientists believe that people lose weight not so much from bromelain, as from self-hypnosis.
In the modern market, there are also "fat burners" based on extracts of Garcinia Cambodian fruits. It is believed that the fruits of garcinia a little suppress the appetite and stimulate the consumption of fat stores.
Another popular plant is Guarana South American. Guarana is a source of caffeine, which stimulates the nervous system, helps the process of fat breakdown. This component is contraindicated in hypertensive patients, patients with arrhythmias, angina pectoris.
Most nutritionists are confident that the effect of "fat burners" is noticeable only with strict diet and regular exercise.
Pros: Bromelain improves digestion. Garcinia slightly reduces appetite and stimulates metabolism. Guarana stimulates energy consumption and the breakdown of fats.
Cons: Relatively low efficiency. Guarana can cause side effects: heart palpitations, headaches, nervousness. Prolonged excessive intake of caffeine-containing supplements can cause insomnia and addiction.
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Caution: fakes!
Of the means for weight loss, xenical, dietin and meridia are medicines. They should be given only by prescription. Over-the-counter drug is "Nova figure doctor Deiss", registered as a laxative.
The rest are biologically active food supplements. It should be emphasized that some manufacturers do not indicate the full composition of the drug on the labels. This is dangerous, since there have been cases when in the examination they found strong substances - for example, ephedrine.
In order not to buy a fake or a dangerous preparation, observe the following rules:
- buy dietary supplements only in pharmacies;
- do not hesitate to require hygienic certificates confirming safety;
- be sure to study the composition of dietary supplements;
- check the expiration date and the date of manufacture;
- carefully read the manufacturer's recommendations for dose and schedule of application.
All drugs and active supplements for weight loss should be taken only after consulting a doctor.