Tracy Norris
It sounds so easy and hassle-free: just take a diet pill and the pounds will fall off by themselves. In reality, however, it is not as easy as the advertising promises. A healthy diet plan is usually part of the weight loss program. What should you watch out for with the little helpers?
What are diet pills?
As the name suggests, diet pills are small tablets designed to help you lose weight. They cause a slight feeling of fullness so that you no longer feel like eating or otherwise curb your appetite. However, diet pills bought online often lack a list of ingredients, which is why taking diet pills can sometimes be associated with health risks.
What types of diet pills are there?
The market for diet pills is huge. The individual modes of action are correspondingly confusing. However, Stiftung Warentest distinguishes between three different types in its investigation. satiety capsules, fat blockers, and carbohydrate blockers.
What are the differences?
- Saturation Capsules: Saturation Capsules contain bulking fiber, which makes you feel full and helps you eat less. One active ingredient is often glucomannan, a starch-like substance extracted from the konjac root. Glucomannan has been certified by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to have a weight-reducing effect. However, only for very overweight people and a low-calorie diet.
- Fat blockers: Fat blockers bind fats from food and ensure rapid elimination. Active ingredients are mostly Lipoxitral and Litramine, which are obtained from prickly pear cacti. There are currently no studies that demonstrate a sufficient effect on weight loss.
- Carbohydrate Blocker: Prevents the absorption of carbohydrates. The active ingredient is a dietary fiber complex obtained from beans. As with fat blockers, however, the effectiveness of these complexes has not been proven.
How does taking diet pills work?
One thing has to be said in advance: there is no one diet pill that you can take and then the path to your dream figure is done. Diet pills, if any, should always be taken as a support and to balance out a healthy eating plan. The pills should never be taken in a higher dose than stated on the packaging. Depending on the manufacturer, this can vary greatly. Some pills are meant to be taken only once a day, others with each meal. Always read the leaflet carefully.
Are Diet Pills Dangerous?
If you buy diet pills in well-known drugstores or pharmacies, the ingredients have been tested and are harmless if taken correctly. All dietary supplements on the German market are subject to controls and therefore do not contain any dangerous ingredients. However, you should always drink a lot of fat and carbohydrate blockers, otherwise, they can cause constipation. It is worse with diet pills that can be bought on the Internet. Here the ingredients are usually different and are often not listed in full. Some contain the active ingredient sibutramine. This amphetamine derivative can cause rapid heartbeat. More than 30 people in Germany have already died from this active substance.
Diet Pills: Playing With Hope
Anyone who buys diet pills in well-known drugstores will quickly see from the information provided that simply taking them is not enough. A restricted calorie intake is often recommended for successful weight loss. That the pills then help you lose weight is a fallacy. If you eat fewer calories in general, you will lose weight one way or the other. This makes diet pills obsolete. That’s why our advice: Skip the diet pills and find a diet that helps.
