Diet Pills Explained

Within the last few years, diet pills have become very popular and there are hundreds of different brand name diet supplements on the internet today. For people who know very little about slimming pills, searching for information online can be very daunting. When you type "diet pills" into Google, you get over 11 million results! Not only is there an abundance of information but most of it contains unfamiliar words such as fat binder, herbal diet pills and carb blockers. For those who are new to the diet pill market, this can be rather confusing.

This guide shall break diet pills down into two main categories - prescription diet supplements and non-prescription diet supplements. Each category can be broken down further into different types of slimming tablets but, as a rule, all diet pills fall into either the prescription and non-prescription category.

Prescription diets pills - other wise known as weight loss drugs or anti-obesity drugs - can only be obtained from your GP on prescription. The reason why they are prescription only is because they are strong medical drugs that are made up of pharmaceutically produced chemicals. Many prescription drugs can have unpleasant side-effects and it is for this reason that they must be taken under medical supervision.

Prescription drugs are designed to treat the clinically obese as a last resort when all other forms of treatment, such as diet and exercise, have been exhausted. Generally, if you have a BMI over 30, your doctor may consider prescribing you anti-obesity drugs. However, each doctor is an individual and some may not prescribe them unless you have a BMI of 40+. Common prescribed diet pills are Orlistat and Sibutramine. To find out more about prescription drugs click on the link at the bottom of this article.

Non-prescription diet pills - otherwise known as herbal diet pills or herbal supplements - are available to buy online and over the counter in chemists. With over 400 non-prescription diet supplements available to buy online, herbal weight loss supplements count for the majority of the diet pill market.

Unfortunately, 90% of herbal weight loss supplements do not work. This is because there are very few rules and regulations governing the herbal diet pill industry so quite literally anybody can go and make a herbal diet pill and sell it. The safest and most effective slimming tablets come from companies who have obtained certifications, medical backing and clinical trials so if you are ever unsure about a diet pills, always look out for these three features.

Unlike prescription diet supplements, which are chemical drugs, non-prescription diet pills contain naturally occurring ingredients, mainly herbs and foods, which are known for their ability to aid weight loss. Non-prescription weight loss pills can generally be divided into 4 different types - fat binders, appetite suppressants, fat burners and carbohydrate blockers. Fat binders and appetite suppressant are the most successful types of slimming tablets for weight loss and all prescription drugs are either fat binders or appetite suppressants.

Fat binders, as the name suggests, binds with fats in the digestive system form a fluid gel around the fats. This fat complex is too large to be absorbed by your body and the undigested fats are removed in your bowel movements. This natural process helps to reduce the amount of fat absorbed by your body, which significantly reduces your calorie intake. Orlistat is a prescription fat binder and Proactol is the best non-prescription fat binder.

Appetite suppressants work by reducing your appetite so that you eat less and this can significantly reduce your calorie intake. Appetite suppressants work in two ways. Firstly, when eating a meal you start to feel full much sooner than normal which means that you consume much less food, which greatly reduces your calorie intake. Secondly, appetite suppressants keep you feeling fuller for longer which means that you have no desire to snack in between meals. The most common prescribed appetite suppressants are Sibutramine and Phentermine. Hoodia Gordonii is the best non-prescription appetite suppressant - but you have to fully research which brand name of Hoodia you buy as many are scam products.

Don't get confused by the diet pill market. Remember, there are only two kinds of slimming pills:

Prescription diet pills - intended for those who are clinically obese and should only be obtained from your GP.

Non-prescription diet pills - these are herbal based diet pills that are available online and over the counter - the most effective types are fat binders (such as Proactol) and appetite suppressants (such as Hoodia Gordonii).