Do OTC diet pills work?
The temptation of using over-the-counter weight-loss pills to lose weight fast is often irresistible. Many of over-the-counter weight-loss pills contain a cocktail of ingredients – some with more than 20 herbs, botanicals, vitamins, minerals or other add-ons, such as caffeine or laxatives. Many of the diet pills and weight-loss aids available over-the-counter are at best ineffective, and at worst, dangerous. Even if the product claims to be natural, this doesn’t necessarily mean that it is safe. Because the Food and Drug Administration classifies these preparations not as drugs but as “dietary supplements,” they are exempt from the rigorous safety and efficacy testing required of conventional medications. This means that a diet pill may not do what the label says it will do. Or even if it does, there may be unwanted side effects, such as increased blood pressure or pulse, or loss of body fluid which can lower potassium levels and cause heart and muscle problems. The most common ingredi
