Here on TenMania we have been concerned with health and healthy lifestyles for quite some time and we never skipped an opportunity to present you with new research regarding diets, fast – foods that are a threat to your well being, the importance of physical exercise, natural remedies, diet pills and so on. Why are these things so important that we come back to them once in a while? Well, the answer to that is quite simple: obesity and weight gain is a very concerning problem that affects a huge percent of the population.
Top 10 Diet Pills That Work
Let’s take a look on how serious the problem is:
According to F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2013, a report from the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), tells us that, in short, the situation looks like this:
While it is not a secret that obesity is a problem, there is still some concern on why don’t people start exercising and dieting and taking their problems to the doctor. A report issued back in 2010 by the Calorie Control Council National Consumer Survey identifies a few reasons why the American public, although wanting to lose weight, is still unable to:
Having all these information in mind, we we will get very deep into the matters and address a very disputed and controversial subject: diet pills that work and, more to that, FDA approved diet pills, as the debatable nature of the old and the new diet pills comes from the questions: are they safe to use and are they as efficient as described? The reason we approach this subject is the growing concern of the population with obesity problems and the ever – growing popularity of top rated diet pills that may or may not work.
There are dozens of drugs out there advertised as the best diet pills for women (or for men) for instance, but not all of them are safe, while none all of them magically turn the people taking them into catwalk fashion models. As you probably know, the FDA is quite cheap in approving weight loss pills, while very eager to warn the population to not take all sorts of supplements and remedies, as they were found to contain a lot of undeclared drugs and it’s for your own good to know and understand what you are delivering to your system. As you see from the chart below, many products have a close relationship with weight loss and in case you were giving these products a chance, it’s recommended to look deeper into the matters.
While we are not here to discuss FDA’s history with weight loss drugs, it is important to emphasize that even if a drug is FDA approved, it doesn’t mean it will work like a charm for you personally, or it is the safest drug on the planet to take. Consulting with your doctor is mandatory before taking such weight loss drugs in order to make you valid recommendations based on your health history and health goals.
So what is the best diet pill to lose weight? We will see top ten diet pills that have substantial clinical trials to back them up, FDA approval (or at least FDA approval submissions) and positive reviews from users, while we will emphasize on their effects and side – effects also. In order to keep all things clear, let’s see what weight loss pills types are out there and how they work exactly.
According to Drugs.com, (FDA’s partner website concerned with all drugs and medication)
Most weight loss drugs that suppress the appetite are known as anorexiants. Some weight loss drugs contain stimulant medication that are scheduled controlled substances by the Drug Enforcement Agency.
So let’s see top 10 diet pills that work today.
1. BELVIQ
This is one of the two new diet pills that were approved by the FDA after more than a decade. Belviq is a drug that targets your hunger sensation in your brain, thus lowering your appetite. According to specialists,
Belvq is one of the first FDA approved medications to treat obesity. Belviq works best with lifestyle changes such as exercise combined with a reduced-calorie diet. Belviq is prescribed for patients who are obese and have at least one related health condition such as hypertension or type 2 diabetes.
But does this weight pill really work? According to the research backing up this drug, people should lose 5% weight in 12 weeks of using the medication. While it is recommended for long term use, it also has some side – effects which usually involve low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) – in diabetes patients, headache, back pain, cough, and fatigue, and also heart problems. Belviq should not be associated with depression medication, as some side – effects seem to become more severe, while pregnant and lactating women should completely avoid it. However, reports show confidence in its positive effects and checking constantly with your doctor is the wisest thing to do. This pill has gained a strong positive reputation in the U.S. and in U.K., but it is still a drug and you should be careful in using it, in full accordance with your doctor’s orders.
2. QSYMIA
The second FDA approved weight loss drug in our top 10 diet pills list is Qsymia, a drug that curbs your appetite and is approved for long term use and it combines a long – used substance in the weight loss medication industry – phentermine (about which you will hear more in a few moments) and a seizure / migraine drug – topiramate. If you got a little scared that somehow you get to combine amphetamine – like drugs with anticonvulsants and end up on an one – way trip to Looney House, the side effects of Qsymia are related to tingling hands and feet, dizziness, altered sense of taste, insomnia, constipation, and dry mouth, many of them being associated with other types of medication that have nothing to do with weight loss. One warning that concerns the ladies: even if this drug will prove to be the best diet pills for women, it
should not be taken by lactating or pregnant women and pregnancy should not be initiated while taking Qysmia. Females must have a negative pregnancy test before beginning this medication and every month thereafter while taking Qysmia.
Its positive effects have been intensively studied and in the chart above you will see the percents showing that this diet pill really works on cutting down your appetite and has a real positive effect on patients using it while following the safety guidelines. What should you expect when using Qsymia? According to the research conducted,
if you don’t lose 3% of your weight after 12 weeks on Qsymia, the FDA recommends that you stop taking it or that your doctor increase your dose for the next 12 weeks — and if that doesn’t work, you should gradually stop taking it.
Before we move on to the other top ten diet pills in this list, make sure you understand that both drugs need to be used in conjunction with diet and lifestyle changes and exercise.
3. XENICAL
This is an old and popular weight loss pill and is one of the best rated diet pills on the market with proven results. It works a bit different from the two weight loss pills described above, as its active substance – Orlistat – is the single diet prescription one approved by the FDA. Xenical actually doesn’t allow your body to deposit fats. Here is how it goes:
it blocks approximately 30% of dietary fat from being absorbed by your body. It is known to be effective for weight loss in combination with diet and exercise.
So basically, it has little to do with burning your fat, but a lot with not allowing you to deposit it. It is also known for having quite mild and temporary side – effects, such as abdominal cramping, passing gas, leaking oily stool and some bowel movement issues, but they are not a true threat, making this pill one of the most non – invasive ones. However, the drug temporarily prevents your body for absorbing correctly vitamins A, D, E, and K, so taking some multi – vitamins 2 hours before or after taking Xenical is what most doctors recommend. Under no circumstance should you associate Xenical with pregnancy or lactation. If you want to know more about Orlistat, you can consult the RxList for this drug.
4. ALLI
While still on the subject of Orlistat, Alli is the over – the – counter version of Xenical, as it also contains Orlistat, but presents half the dosage of Xenical. It is preferred because it also has mild and temporary side effects and acting as a lipase inhibitor, blocks the intestines to absorb around 25% of the fat that you eat. Just as in the case of Xenical, it also should be associated with a healthy life style, dieting, exercise and low fat eating. Specialists form WebMD recommend a careful diet while under Alli treatment
If you eat a lot of fatty foods, even just one high-fat meal like a greasy burger, you’re more likely to have uncomfortable digestive side effects. Choose lean cuts of meat and low-fat dairy products. In general, no more than 30% of your calories at each meal should come from fat.
Just like its bigger brother, Alli is also recommended to be associated with vitamins, but allow some hours to pass between the vitamins and the diet pill. Supporters of Alli gave it positive reviews, but before jumping to the next bottle, check with your doctor for potential side – effects based on your medical record.
5. ADIPEX – P
This weight loss pill that really works belongs to the Phentermine class, being thus a stimulant that acts on lowering your appetite by stimulating your Central Nervous System. Adipex – P is not recommended if you just want to fit in the jeans of last summer, but, according to FDA regulation,
is indicated as a short-term (a few weeks) adjunct in a regimen of weight reduction based on exercise, behavioral modification and caloric restriction in the management of exogenous obesity for patients with an initial body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2, or ≥ 27 kg/m2 in the presence of other risk factors (e.g., controlled hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia).
The results are not as spectacular as you might think, as you will lose weight a bit at a time. It can also cause adverse reactions which triggered some controversy regarding its FDA approval status. Phentermine is a Schedule IV controlled substance, not your OTC Chinese herbal remedy, so you will be taking it under your doctor’s supervision but before embarking on this journey, make sure you are in full awareness of your health status and the drug’s side effects.
6. SUPRENZA
Another Phentermine powered weight loss pill, Suprenza proved itself efficient in reducing weight in obese patients if used on a short-term and combined with exercise, diet, and behavioral modification, as the doctors recommend. Just as the other drugs in its class, Suprenza is not a pill for you to take while sitting in the couch stuffing yourself with fast – food and sweets and expecting weight to miraculously vanish. Whatever commercials tell you that you can just pop up some pills and just wait until you become a character in Requiem for a Dream but with full hair and teeth, you are either lied to, or somebody is trying to sell you illegal drugs.
Suprenza is an obesity medication and should be taken accordingly. If you take a look at the review above, you will see that Suprenza is still considered among the top diet pills for women, especially the ones with weight problems and associated health conditions.
7. SANOREX
You will find this weight loss pill among the ones used in Adjunct Treatment of Obesity in a Comprehensive Weight Reduction Regimen, which means, according to FDA, that Sanorex is used as a short-term supplement to diet and exercise in the treatment of obesity. It works pretty much like the previous medication listed above in this top ten diet pills that work, because its active substance – Mazindol –
is a sympathomimetic amine, which is similar to an amphetamine. It is also known as an “anorectic” or an “anorexigenic” drug. Mazindol stimulates the central nervous system (nerves and brain), which increases your heart rate and blood pressure and decreases your appetite.
If you are wondering which pill works best, as many of them are similar in effects, you need to consult with your doctor. Since these are prescription drugs, a specialist is the only one to recommend you any or just a particular weight loss pill among the many varieties.
8. TENUATE
The generic name of this weight loss pill is Diethylpropion, a substance that acts like an appetite suppressant. It causes a temporary reduction in craving for food or the hunger sensation and is recommended in short – term treatments and management of obesity, as a part of a larger weight – loss plan which also should include diet, exercise and behavioral therapy. Tenuate should not be taken together with other diet pills / appetite curbing medication, as the side effects can be life – threatening. Just like extreme dieting, extreme self – medication can prove itself to be fatal, so no playing around! Similar to other cases, taking this medication in combination with others should only be done after a rigorous consultation with your doctor.
9. CONTRAVE
Don’t get your hopes up, as this new diet pill is still waiting for FDA’s green light, but so far so good, the data available suggests this new drug will be available on the U.S. market starting with the second half of 2014. This new weight loss pill represents the combination of two substances, the common antidepressant Wellbutrin and the addiction drug naltrexone. People taking Wellbutrin are known for rapidly loosing weight, only to gain it back short – after, and this is where the naltrexone comes in, preserving the effect.
Early clinical trials show impressive positive effects of this new drug, and what’s even more important, is that the participants to the studies were found to lose 9.3% of their body weight — 20 to 25 pounds after 56 weeks of Contrave treatment. Moreover, an average of 30% of the participants lost more than 15% of their body weight. If you were worried about the side – effects, early studies show that mild adverse reactions including mild – to – moderate nausea, mild headaches and constipation were among the frequent ones that were reported in the early stages of the therapy. There were no reports concerning the worsening of depression symptoms or other psychological or psychiatric side – effects, but patients described improvements in their quality of life. This new treatment for obesity is expected to show positive results once the drug is released on the market.
10. GARCINIA CAMBOGIA
This weight loss pill is a bit different from what we have seen until now, as it is not a medication, but a food supplement marketed as being able to help people lose weight easily and without gaining it back short after. You may have probably heard of it from Dr. Oz or seen the online ads or the TV commercials, as it seems to be very popular among those who want to lose fat. However, there is a handful of debates surrounding this pill, as some information suggest that the pill is FDA approved (which is odd to say the least, as food supplements are off the radar when it comes to FDA regulations), while others signaled a lot of side – effects, contrary to the popular opinion that this drug has mild to no adverse reactions whatsoever.
There are over 50 commercial products that boast with their Garcinia extracts, but in case you are willing to try it, make sure you shop for quality and always ask your doctor before trying this weight loss alternative. While it is likely to find this supplement at your local Walmart, there are other specialized stores, like GNC, which sell numerous variations of this weight loss treatment, even at inexpensive prices, but before filling up your shopping cart, do your homework carefully first.
With this list of top diet pills we hope to have given you reliable information to start from if you have a weight problem that needs immediate solving. Whether weight loss pills really work is still a debatable question, as even if all of them proved efficient in clinical trials and received public appraisal, we are still talking about medication that doesn’t universally have the same effects on everybody. This best diet pills 2014 list is meant for education and you should responsibly check with your doctor before trying to add medication to your diet. The good news is that the FDA is concerned with the over – weight, obesity and co-morbid health problems and is working with specialists in finding the best solutions.