Slimming pills are a result of the effort people have put into developing effective and safe medicines. But, they should be viewed mostly as a last resort, to help people who are grossly overweight, have already lost some weight and are now struggling to lose more.

Are slimming pills safe?

Diet pills aim to help overweight people to curb their hunger and hence lose weight. They are invariably pharmacological substances, though herbal and other natural alternatives exist, too. If diet pills contain pharmacological agents, there is an issue of benefits vs. risks involved. Their uncontrolled use leads to many serious problems. In fact, almost all diet pills work by disrupting some natural physical and even mental functions. This is an valuable point to remember.

Depending on their mode of action, contemporary diet pills work by suppressing appetite, accelerating the body's metabolism and interfering with the absorption of certain nutrients in consumed food. Many diet pills prevent the absorption of fat into the body. If the patient habitually consumes foods with excessive fat levels, such diet pills are indeed useful. However, they work by short-circuiting the body's tendency to store fat in its tissues. This is an valuable metabolic function that can be disrupted securely only for limited periods. Therefore, using diet pills is not a long-term weight loss option. One must also not forget that appetite is a needed reflex that nature has provided to guarantee our survival.

People tend to overeat for different reasons, many of which are psychological rather than physical. For this reason, there are pills that decrease excessive appetite owing to they right a psychological or even psychiatric disorder. Again, these are not diet pills but do have the desired effect of helping curb appetite in overweight people.

No scientific research exists to support the efficacy of herbal diet pills in curbing appetite and reducing weight by other means. However, they may have a placebo effect. This means that the patient's view in the medicine's power is sufficient to bring desirable results.

Is fatness cure and slimming the same thing?

The difference between fatness cure and slimming is sometimes separated into weight loosing and weight control. The reason for this is that there is a certain uncertainty in possible plans of slimming among overweight persons. Although, they can see the disadvantages of fatness, they are simultaneously locked in habits which inhibit weight loss.

While fatness cure is a forced medical decision for health reasons, Slimming is a routine regimen that is followed out of awareness. For the obese food cravings dominate their life and no matter how determined they are, they have increased chances of floundering under pressure. Slimming means one has established proper routine for regular exercise and like and like their routines and their concrete results. Furthermore, slimming makes one more aware about the requires of the body and it becomes easier to change ones diet as a physical person.


What are the different categories of slimming pills?

Slimming pills that are presently in use can be broadly separated into 3 categories. They are:

Drugs which decrease energy intake (appetite suppressants - Sibutramine Reductil): This has been the chief focus of research owing to ingesting more energy-rich food than is significant, is the main difficulty behind being overweight. Sibutramine, for instance, alters the chemical messages in the brain that controls how a person feels about food. By influencing brain chemicals called noradrenaline and serotonin, sibutraminehelps to make a person feel full. These drugs, when used with a weight-reduction diet and exercise, help people to lose more weight than diet and exercise alone.

Drugs which inhibit the digestion and absorption of food: Orlistat belongs to this group of drugs. It inhibits the action of enzymes in the gut called lipases that are responsible for the digestion and absorption of fat in the food. Expected average weight loss with Orlistat is only about 2-5 kgs. per year above placebo treatments, including a little but important reduction in cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and a delay in the onset of diabetes in those at risk.

Drugs which increase energy expenditure: Although the thought is very attractive, it has been hard for researchers to securely put this into practice. The thought behind this drug was to switch on our brown fat - a special type of fat that responds to nerve signals by using up more energy. But while the concept worked on laboratory rats, it hasn’t been safe or effective in humans.

Measuring the progress in slimming

Physical indicators of ones progress comprise reduction in the waist hip ratio and waist circumference. Abdominal fatness has consistently been associated with risk factors for diabetes and heart disease, therefore any positive change on this front is an plain improvement. It directly implies weight loss as well as a healthier fat distribution. Physical progress can also be determined by hydrostatic weighing, electrical impedance, or by using skin fold calipers. Although it might not be as accurate as the former way it gives you an upstart of the way in which you are treading at least. A certified personal trainer can help you measure the percentage of your body fat.

Other plain indicators of progress are:

o    Decreased dependence on medications
o    Increase in capability to perform physical activity
o    Reduced intake of fat; and
o    The increased intake of fiber, vitamins, and minerals in the diet