Diet Pills – Do They Work? Are They Safe? Which One Should I Use?

Diet Pills are the fastest growing segment of the dietary supplement industry. Sales of diet pills and related supplements have been increasing 10 to 20 percent annually to the point where last year they reached $2 billion. Considering the fact that 60% of the U.S. population are overweight or obese, it’s no wonder that several of us are looking for a way to drop extra pounds. Diet pill ads are starting to pop up everywhere, particularly on the internet, but before you go out and buy the latest greatest pill, do some research.

HOW DO DIET PILLS WORK?
Most over the counter diet pills work by increasing your body’s energy expenditure. One of the most common ingredients (caffeine) raises your metabolism by increasing the breakdown of fatty acids and therefore reducing appetite. This increase in energy and decrease in appetite is a great combination for burning fat.

WHAT’S IN THESE DIET PILLS?
In late 2003, based on evidence that it caused heart attacks, Ephedrine was banned as an ingredient in diet pills. Diet pills now generally contain a mixture of vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, folic acid) and of course caffeine or any number of herbs. With any supplement, herb, or medication, the best advice is to READ THE LABEL.
(As of April 14, 2005- The year old FDA ban on Ephedra has been lifted. The matter has been sent back to the FDA for reevaluation – Source: Yahoo News)

ARE DIET PILLS SAFE?
Diet pill side effects can range from dizziness, nausea, increased urination, to the more sever - chest pain, heart attack, liver and kidney damage, stroke, seizures, and even death. After a few months your body develops a tolerance for the pill’s effects, so diet pills are meant to be taken for a very short period of time. These pills CAN be safe if they are not abused.

With the combination of a healthy diet, and regular exercise a diet pill can give you that little extra nudge to loose a few extra pounds. Don’t expect to loose weight on a diet pill alone. Do your research, ask questions, read the labels and find out what diet pill is right for you.

Dairy In Diet
Dairy foods are a great source of calcium and some vitamins and minerals. But seek out the low fat versions for good health. Powdered milk has no fat, yet much calcium. Also, powdered milk has far fewer germs than pasteurized bottled milk.Diets in Asia and other parts of the world are low in dairy products, yet those countries have large populations, mostly healthy if they have enough to eat.In fact, many adults of Asian descent lack the enzymes needed to digest dairy foods. Often, milk and cheese, etc., are replaced by soy foods.If soy milk is used in place of dairy milk, high calcium foods or supplements are needed in diet. Also, most purchased soy milk contains sweeteners, which is...

Fda Announces Rule Prohibiting Sale Of Dietary Supplements Containing Ephedrine Alkaloids Effective April 12
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that the final rule on dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids is effective immediately. The rule, which was published on February 11, 2004 in the Federal Register, declares dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids (ephedra) adulterated because such supplements present an unreasonable risk of illness or injury. Two manufacturers had asked the United States District Court in New Jersey to enter a temporary injunction to prohibit FDA from enforcing the rule. However, the court ruled today that it would not immediately stay the rule. The court ordered the parties to submit additional briefs so that it may decide whether to permanently stay th...

The Isometric Diet And Balanced Health
The concept isometric has been a part of the health care vocabulary for decades. The most common application of the term, until now, has been with respect to physical exercise. Taken from the Greek root word Iso, meaning equal, the familiar term Isometric exercises involves applying equal weight to achieve strength goals.Fairly recently, health researchers have discovered another innovative application of the isometric concept in the health care field: nutrition. These researchers have identified that an isometric approach to diet – a.k.a. the “Isometric Diet” -- can lead to health improvement.The Isometric Diet®, which provides the philosophical basis for the Zone Diet, has swiftly gained respect from the...