Diet Pills and Health Risks - Do Diet Pills Damage Your Health?

Diet pills promise a quick fix solution to being overweight, and many people believe their claims - like the rest of the diet industry, this area is booming. The manufacturers claim that the pills are safe to use, but is that really the case, or can diet pills be dangerous? The answer is yes, and here's why.

First of all, understand that there is a wide variety of diet pills available, and they work in different ways. Some work by decreasing the appetite, and some increase the metabolic rate so you burn food and body fat more quickly. Others claim to prevent the absorption of fat from your food, or act as diuretics or laxatives, or expand in the stomach to create a false feeling of fullness.

All types of diet pills are associated in side effects. Depending on the type, these include dizziness, heart palpitations, heart attack and heart failure, high blood pressure, hyperactivity, headaches, vision problems, anxiety and irritability, dry mouth, fever, stroke and negative effects on the sex drive, among others. You may also experience a range of digestive problems, such as stomach pain, constipation, vomiting and diarrhea or loss of bowel control.

These are not the only problems associated with diet pills. Consider the following:

In the US, diet pills do not have to be tested by the FDA before being made available for sale. The FDA will remove pills that are later proven to be dangerous (as happened with pills containing ephedrine), but by then the damage may have been done.

The health risks increase in relation to the length of time you use the pills for.

Some diet pills contain active ingredients that cause harmful reactions or increase the risk of overdose when combined with other medications.

Diet pills are available over the counter, and many people foolishly take more than the stated dose in an effort to lose weight more quickly, risking a fatal overdose. Even the correct does can cause problems in susceptible individuals.

The pills' effects are temporary - as soon as you stop taking them, you'll regain any weight you lost if you haven't also made changes to your eating and exercise habits.

Some diet pills can be both physically and psychologically additive, just like many other legal and illegal drugs.

If you want to lose weight and are thinking of going this route, remember that any weight you lose using pills is unlikely to stay off unless you make permanent changes in your diet and lifestyle. And if you can do that, you don't need the pills in the first place. Losing weight the natural way is slower and more challenging, but you'll preserve your health, gain a sense of pride and accomplishment and will stay in full control of your body.