Diet Pills: Health or Hazard?

There are many products on the market today that are sold as weight-loss aids. Although advertised as a “quick fix” for fast weight loss, many of these pills, supplements, and drinks are not without serious side effects. Before considering any of these products, it is important to examine the associated risks as well as your long-term health and fitness goals.

Many diet pills are predominantly marketed to women for increasing energy and promoting weight and fat loss. Despite have many success stories highlighted in their advertising with customer and even celebrity endorsements, diet pills can also pose serious risks to some consumers. Common side effects include anxiety, shakiness, dizziness, cramps, numbness, headaches, rapid heartbeat, profuse sweating, unquenchable thirst, nausea, and insomnia. Prior medical issues such as heart problems, hypertension, tremors and seizures could also be exacerbated with use. Diet pills have also been linked to potentially dangerous physical and psychological dependencies and long-term use could pose some serious health risks.

That being said, it is essential to carefully weigh these potential risks against the possible reward of quick weight loss before deciding if diet pills are the right choice for you and your long-term health. Losing weight is often difficult, and it is easy to be attracted to the allure of the “quick-fix.” About ten years ago, I took a product containing Ephedrine to increase my energy and to lose body fat. I experienced side effects such as headaches, skin conditions and tachycardia, which is an abnormal heart rate. Ultimately, I stopped taking the product because it was doing more harm than good. Products containing Ephedrine were subsequently taken off the market after being linked to numerous side effects, some as serious as death.

Based on personal experience and years in the health and fitness industry, I have come to the conclusion that no pill, supplement, drink or diet can replace exercise and well-rounded nutrition. Burning calories through physical fitness and following a diet that includes meal frequency, portion control, and healthy and nutritious foods is the best way to lose weight and improve health. The best way to increase your body’s ability to burn fat and calories is with small, frequent meals roughly every three hours. Eating foods that naturally have a high thermic effect which is an increase of energy expenditure above RMR (resting metabolic rate), caused by the digestion and assimilation of food. Foods such as fibrous green vegetables, lean proteins, and natural starchy/complex carbohydrates are a great way to speed up your metabolism and induce that thermic effect. Exercising on a consistent basis is the final piece of the fat burning puzzle. Strength and cardio training is crucial to your success as it is always better to create a calorie deficit through exercise.

Although diet pills may succeed in bringing short-term weight loss to some, they often fail in the long-term and have the potential to pose various health hazards to consumers. Many people take diet aids to lose weight so that they can fit into a certain size or attain some sort of perceived physical ideal. It is unfortunate that some place more importance on their appearance than on physical and emotional health and well-being. Ultimately, developing self-discipline along with healthy nutrition and exercise is the best way to achieve long-term fitness goals. Patience, persistence and perseverance will always be much healthier and rewarding in your journey to achieving your best you. Shortcuts are definitely short-lived and may even pose a “Hazard to your Health”.

Brian McDonough CPT
FITT101