Some of the best-selling diet pills of all time have been proven unsafe, such as Fen-Phen in the 1990s, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Mayo Clinic. Even some modern top sellers might be potentially dangerous; for example, as of 2010, the FDA was investigating allegations that the over-the-counter (OTC) diet aid Alli caused liver injury in some users. When deciding whether to take a prescription or OTC diet pill, you should carefully consider the benefits against the potential risks.
Alli
Alli consists of 60 milligrams (mg) of the fat-blocking drug orlistat and is one of the most popular OTC diet aids, according to the Mayo Clinic. The medication usually causes dieters to lose three more pounds a year on top of the 8-to-11 lbs. they can expect to lose from food changes and exercise alone. However, those women who eat a number of high-fat meals and are not willing to change that habit might want to skip Alli; potentially embarrassing side effects such as oily spotting and uncontrollable bowel movements happen more often in dieters who eat a number of fatty foods while taking the drug.
Green Tea Extract Supplements
Green tea extract supplements are a popular diet aid, despite insufficient scientific evidence to prove its true weight loss efficacy, according to the Mayo Clinic and Colorado State University. Theoretically, green tea–whether drunk in liquid form or ingested as extracts in capsules–enhances metabolism and lowers blood cholesterol. However, green tea extract supplements usually contain a lot of caffeine which can cause some rather marked anxiety and other unpleasantries if not used with care. Those who need to take blood thinners should also avoid green tea extract supplements; these may interact with the medication as well as the bloodstream itself in such dieters.
Meridia
Meridia is a top-selling prescription diet drug that may indeed boost weight loss, according to the Mayo Clinic. The average dieter who takes Meridia along with her weight loss and food modification efforts might lose an additional 5-to-11 lbs. per year; this could technically double weight loss attempts since diet and exercise alone lead to about 8-to-11 lbs. of annual weight loss. Meridia, comprised of the appetite suppressant sibutramine, works on the brain’s norepinephrine and serotonin levels to also improve mood. The medication is only offered to those people who are seriously overweight; potential side effects include achiness, chills and depression.
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