Prescription Diet Pills

"Prescription diet pills" is a term used to define all drugs for weight loss that can only be purchased through a doctor’s prescription.

There are several types of prescription diet pills and each of them have their specific ingredients. For your convenience, here is a list of well-known prescription drugs, each followed by their active ingredients:

• Phentermine - Phentermine Hydrochloride
• Xenical - Orlistat
• Meridia (also known as Reductil) - Sibutramine.
• Bontril - Phendimetrazine.
• Didrex - Benzphetamine.
• Acomplia - Rimonabant

The Good:

1. In general, prescription diet pills are the object of several clinical studies. As a result, their actions on the human body are well-known, as well as their side effects.

2. These pills are regulated by government agencies (like the Food and Drug Administration, in the United States). Before having their commercial release approved, they are submitted to various tests in order to verify their levels of effectiveness and safety.

3. Theoretically, the need to obtain a prescription should induce patients to see a doctor before buying such diet pills. This would lead to healthier weight loss treatments.

The Bad:

1. Prescription diet pills are normally based on substances that act on our central nervous system (Phentermine and Sibutramine) or on our stomach’s enzymes (Xenical). Consequently, their side effects may cause moderated discomfort and, in some cases, severe health problems.

2. Not all pharmacies respect the law. Many sell prescription diet pills to patients that haven’t obtained a prescription from a doctor. This is more commonly seen on Internet pharmacies.

3. Several patients guess that their doctor’s prescription may be tailored to their tastes and beliefs. So they alter the dosage of their prescription diet pills by themselves, thinking that this will accelerate their loss of weight. Obviously, in such cases the pills lose all their efficacy.

The Bottom Line:

Just because your doctor prescribed diet pills that have been studied by scientists and approved by a governmental entity doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want. Prescription diet pills won’t do you any good if you don’t follow your physician’s advice.
Remember that the pills are not an all-in-one solution to your weight issues. They should always be part of a weight loss program that includes physical activity, diet, psychological help and lifestyle changes.