The Sutter Delta Blog http://sutterdeltamedicalcenter.posterous.com on Posterous posterous.com Thu, 08 Jul 2010 21:00:00 -0700 Fat Pills: Do They Work? Are They Safe? http://sutterdeltamedicalcenter.posterous.com/fat-pills-do-they-work-are-they-safe http://sutterdeltamedicalcenter.posterous.com/fat-pills-do-they-work-are-they-safe

Fat Pills: Do They Work? Are They Safe?

Published: July 6, 2010

A close-up image of a small pile of pills.

In today’s society, the pressure to be sleek and slim has caused countless women, men and teens to turn to diet pills as a quick-fix for unwanted pounds, but do they really work and what are the risks?

Over the years, the FDA has approved the use of several over-the-counter medications and prescription products in the battle against weight loss. But over time the drugs have a tendency to cause significant—even dangerous—side effects.

Then and Now

Fen-Phen, made big news in the 90s as a miracle weight-loss drug that was successful for millions of individuals before being found to cause valvular heart disease and pulmonary hypertension in some patients and eventually taken off the market.

Rimonabant was another highly touted weight-loss aid until it was linked to higher rates of psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety, and in some cases may have even led to suicide.

Today, the appetite suppressant Meridia is a popular weight-loss option that has shown some promise in certain patients, but the FDA considers it too dangerous for patients with histories of high blood-pressure or heart disease because it carries an increased risk of stroke.

The popular over-the-counter drug Alli has shown success when coupled with a sensible diet and exercise plan, but its long-term effects are not yet know. And as with any diet pill, Alli is only intended to be used for short-term weight loss and should not be used for longer than a few months.

Coming Soon?

It may still be a far-off dream, but science is quickly closing the gap between us and a safe, reliable and effective way to lose weight without forgoing our favorite foods. Current research into brown fat cells, for example, might not be too far off.

Brown fat cells help infants (who cannot keep warm by shivering) produce body heat by rapidly burning calories instead, but until recently it was believed that the cells disappeared completely by adulthood. Now we know that they continue to exist in adults—especially women—leaving scientists to believe that in the foreseeable future brown fat cells may be utilized as a safe, natural, weight-loss option by activating them to boost our metabolisms.

Reality Check

The reality is that there is no magic weight-loss pill—at least not yet—and the use of over-the-counter and prescription products should only be considered in cases of serious obesity in which the medical risks of obesity outweigh the risks associated with the medication itself. Even then, the treatment should be administered under the guidance of a physician and along with a proper diet and exercise regimen.

Ammar Qoubaitary M.D. is double board certified in endocrinology and internal medicine. He is affiliated with Sutter Delta Medical Center.

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