With obesity on the rise, people are searching for the cure to this pandemic. However, many have begun to realize that it takes the efforts of individuals to stop obesity.
Persons, not “people”, are seeking out ways to lose weight and keep it off. We all know staying active and eating healthy is key to maintaining a healthy weight, but how can weight be lost in the first place.
That’s where diet pills come in. Unfortunately, there are enough weight loss supplements out there to fill a super-store aisle-by-aisle from floor to ceiling. Which ones work, and which one is right for you?
Weight Loss Supplements
The first thing to look for when shopping for a diet pill is the method of losing weight that you want to use. There are three general ways that a diet pill can help you lose weight: as an appetite suppressor, by boosting the metabolism, or with lipid/fat binding ingredients.
On the other hand, there are many methods that companies will pass off as weight-loss strategies that really don’t work. These fads will not only be ineffective at helping you lose weight in the long run, but can be very dangerous for your health.
An example of a fad diet-pill is the detox for weight loss. Detoxes purport to help your body rid itself of toxins. Unfortunately they are marketed as a weight-loss product because of the drastic change in water-weight they can cause.
Appetite Suppressors
Appetite suppressors work to tell your body that it’s full so that you don’t take in as many calories as usual. By taking in fewer calories, your body is able to burn current stores of fat.
There are two ways appetite suppressors work. The way most work is by stimulating hormones that tell the body that it’s full, and will reduce ones desire to eat. However, the body will adapt to these changes in hormones and these supplements will wear off after a while.
A more permanent way to suppress the appetite is by supplementing with soluble fiber, which will form a viscous gel in the stomach. This will keep food there longer, actually keeping you full, without disrupting digestion.
Metabolism Boosters
Another way a diet pill can help you lose weight is by increasing your caloric usage. It does this by stimulating your body to use more energy even when at a resting state.
Every process in the human body requires energy to be spent. One very “expensive” process is that of thermogenesis, or the ability to make body heat. By increasing body heat and other “background” processes, the body can burn fat.
Lipid Binder
Fats are all types of lipids. A lipid or fat binder then works to attach itself to fats in the digestive tract and prevent them from being absorbed by the intestines.
With less fat being absorbed by the digestive system, your body will turn to burning the fat you already have for extra energy. Insoluble fiber and chitosan are two supplements you can take that will do this.
Which Works Best?
It depends on the user. Those who need help dieting would want to seek out an appetite suppressor; likewise, someone wanting to increase the effectiveness of exercise should use a metabolism booster.
And while the kind of diet pills doctors prescribe for the obese are lipid binders, these can be purchased over the counter as well. In the end, each person much make their choice in how they want to combat obesity.