Report: Can slimming pills help you lose weight?

The popularity of weight loss drugs and supplements are on the rise, but according to the government's recent guidelines for the treatment for weight loss and obesity, about 55 percent of people in Britain, or 32 million people, are either overweight or obese. Quick-fix diets, pharmaceuticals, and even "natural" weight loss formulations don’t promote good eating habits because they are not a life-long plan. "When you talk to me, we’re talking the 90-year plan," says Edinburgh-based nutritionist Anne Dubner." You need to establish eating patterns that work long-term, and incorporate foods that allow you to lose, and then maintain, body weight." Do Weight Loss Drugs Work? Dubner, whose specialty is weight loss, found that her clients didn’t want to learn anything about diet, they just wanted to take a pill and lose weight. But when they went off the drug they gained the weight back. "I do not recommend weight loss drugs. I’m sure they work, but they are temporary." Dubner believes that if weight loss drugs are used they should be a part of a multi-disciplinary approach. "See a dietician, psychiatrist, or psychologist, if necessary." Weight loss drugs can serve as a jump start for an individual who is significantly overweight, or someone who has to lose weight before undergoing surgery. Both Fen-phen and Redux were found to cause damage to heart valves and were taken off the market in 1997. The newly hyped weight loss drug, Meridia, released last April, acts on serotonin and norepinephrine, another brain chemical to make users feel full, like Fen-Phen and Redux, but not in the same way. Researchers at Knoll Pharmaceutical, who produce Meridia (sibutramine), say Meridia works on two neurotransmitters instead of just on serotonin. What’s coming down the road in the way of weight loss drugs? Orlistat, which will be marketed as Xenical, received the American FDA advisory committee's approval in May 1997, but Hoffmann-La Roche, its manufacturer, has decided to do more analysis before releasing it for final approval. Orlistat is a lipase inhibitor, which means it works on lipase, an intestinal enzyme that breaks down fat. Xenical cuts fat absorption in the intestine by about 30 percent. Herbal Phen-Fens According to many health foodshop operators, herbal phen-fens in all forms - from teas to pills - are by far the biggest sellers of herbal weight-loss products. And, chemists and experts agree, the reason for their popularity is probably due in part to slick marketing tactics by manufacturers that compare their products to the banned fen-phen prescription drug. The big difference, according to herbal phen-fen marketers, is that unlike the prescription drug, their herbal phen-fens are completely safe because they use "natural" ingredients. "Some of the most potent toxins are ‘natural’...even poison is natural...the word ‘natural’ does not guarantee safety," says Dr. Kathy Kapica, PhD, RD, associate professor of nutrition and dietetics at Chicago Medical School. And, according to Dr. Kapica, another major problem is that due to the lack of government standards for botanicals and herbs, consumers can’t always be sure that the products they are getting are pure, or even contain what the labels say. "It’s very scary to think that consumers invest in products that they think will help them when they’ll actually be lucky if they don’t harm them," adds Dr. Kapica. Most herbal phen-fens contain a mixture of herbs which often include ephedra, St. John’s wort, chromium picolinate and others. Some ingredients like ephedra, which is addressed below, can be dangerous when abused, while others, such as St. John’s wort and chromium picolinate, show no clinical evidence of being beneficial for weight loss. Ephedra Ephedra, also known as ma huang, is a strong stimulant found in popular herbal phen-fen diet aids. While the efficacy has been well researched and substantiated for relieving nasal congestion and some allergic disorders, Varro E. Tyler, an authority of the medicinal use of herbs, states in his book, The Honest Herbal, that "there is no substantial clinical evidence that [ephedra] is either a safe or effective promoter of weight loss in obese patients." And, ephedra can be very damaging to the body, especially when abused. Its active ingredient is ephedrine, a stimulant that works in the body much the way that adrenaline does in what is known as the "fight or flight" response. The danger is that when taken regularly, your body stays in an unnatural high gear and there is risk for heart palpitations, heart attacks, and strokes; particularly for those with a history of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, or thyroid disease. To date the American FDA and Centers for Disease Control Prevention have received more than 900 complaints about products containing ephedrine, including 17 deaths. The FDA has plans to regulate ephedrine levels in dietary supplements in the future. St. John’s wort Many herbal phen-fen combinations with ephedra contain St. John’s wort as well. Manufacturers of diet supplements containing St. John’s wort claim it may increase the production of the brain chemical serotonin, possibly having a positive influence on mental wellness, which could help suppress overeating that may be linked to depression. St. John’s wort has been one of the most scientifically researched medicinal herbs in history. Many clinical trials in Britain and abroad using standardized St. John’s wort preparations have confirmed its safety and effectiveness in treating depression. However, there is no clinical evidence to substantiate that St. John’s wort has weight loss benefits. Chitosan Marketers of this popular diet supplement tout its ability to "trap" and get rid of dietary fat and cholesterol. The theory is that when taken regularly, chitosan-a non-digestible dietary fiber-will decrease the absorption of fats and carry them, along with their calories, right out of the body. While there have been some promising studies that show chitosan to have a cholesterol-lowering effect in animals, there has been no such evidence in humans. "There is absolutely no research indicating that chitosan is effective for weight loss," says Dr. Kapica. "It has never been tested for weight loss, or in humans at all." In fact, Dr. Kapica says that Chitosan has the potential to be harmful due to the fact that it binds fat soluble vitamins, which could result in deficiencies and set in motion other harmful effects. And, while limited research has shown chitosan may help lower cholesterol in animals, Dr. Kapica says Chitosan isn’t even at a point where it can be recommended for that. The bottomline is that we just don’t know enough about chitosan and the potential dangers from taking it. Therefore, she says, consumers would be wise to stay away. None of the weight loss drugs on the market now, or any that might be available in the future, are going to solve the problem of excess weight. And serious health effects were found with the drugs that have been removed from the market. Searching for a Natural Solution Each year Britons spend billions of pounds in the hopes of finding the magic pill(s) for weight loss. Accurate figures are hard to come by in the UK, but in the States, according to the National Council Against Health Fraud, a whopping $8.9 million are spent annually on vitamins and dietary supplements alone. And, because vitamins, herbs and other supplements are not officially regulated by the Department of Health, consumers are often unaware of the proper dosage amounts, efficacy and product safety. Then, add to that the fact that an incredible amount of diet supplements are introduced each year, making it virtually impossible for government officials to keep up. There have been a number of cases recently of the Department of Health withdrawing much-hyped slimming pills from the market, which has shaken many people's confidence in appetite suppressants. In April 2000 the government banned several pills because trials had shown they didn't "help people lose weight effectively" and even "caused lung and heart problems in some patients." The supplements removed were Duromine (phentermine), Ionarnin (phentermine), Diethylpropion (amfepramone), Tenuate Dospan (dexfenfluramine), and Ponderax (fenfluramine). Advice When checking out weight loss supplements, read the claims and literature carefully. One product manufacturer, after touting its product’s effectiveness, also encouraged users to exercise for 20 to 60 minutes five to seven days a week; eat three low-fat, balanced meals and two snacks every day; eat at least two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetable each day; drink six to eight glasses of water every day; limit or stop drinking alcohol; stop eating two to three hours before bedtime; reach for the walking shoes before reaching for the refrigerator...etc. This sounds very much like the Department of Health’s Dietary Guidelines for Healthy Living, which remarkably when followed, generally result in a healthy weight and best of all, here they are for free. Department of Health Dietary Guidelines Eat a variety of foods Balance the foods you eat with physical activity-maintain or improve your weight Choose a diet with plenty of grain products, vegetables, and fruits Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol Choose a diet moderate in sugars Choose a diet moderate in salt and sodium If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation "Weight loss should be managed long term and include modification of your diet, more exercise and other important lifestyle changes." Professor Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, June 2005. © 1 , 2009; Nadeem Azam Go here for the article archive at Healthy Direct. It has been compiled to help keep you in the know about current health issues and treatments. Home | Investigation | Tips | Books | Magazines BMI Calculator | Daily Calorie Needs Calculator Enter our exclusive voucher code 'NazamBBDS1' for 99p shipping this summer! Hurry here. Click here to email us or ring 090 66 66 11 55 Mon-Sun 8am-11pm (calls cost £1.50 a min.) Last Updated: ; © Nutrel Institute™, Harley Street, London W1