Yes

by Lauren Almeida

Created on: September 27, 2009

Diet pills across North America have become excessive and out of control. On over-the-counter shelves from Wal-Mart to LoBlaws, the pills are as easy as groceries to purchase. Considering they do more bad than good for a person, there is no question that the pills should be banned. There are many factors to consider, to which ingredients in the pill, the ease of purchasing these pills, and altogether bad side effects are of most concern.

Ingredients in a Diet Pill

When one looks at an ingredient list when trying to determine whether or not a pill brand is right for them (seeing as there are hundreds of different kinds of diet pills to choose from), that person most likely hasn't a clue what they're looking at. It is important to do research before taking over-the-counter diet pills, especially when some of the ingredients in the pills, especially from foreign countries, are unregulated and not FDA approved, while other ingredients are just culprits for bad side effects.

Taking a closer look at the ingredients used in the average diet pill, you can be sure to find caffeine in almost every diet pill on the market. Keep in mind that the average adult should only consume no more than 300 mg of caffeine a day, which measures equally to about two regular cups of coffee per day, so keep in mind the side effects of over-consumption of caffeine.

Caffeine is not the only issue when it comes to worrisome ingredients in diet pills. There are other ingredients such as Ephedrine, which is one of the appetite suppressants and stimulants found in diet pills, as well as Synephrine, which was used to take over Ephedrine when it was banned by the FDA, yet still has some of the same side effects just is not as severe. Side effects include increased heart rate and blood pressure, hypertension, insomnia, dizziness and headaches.

These are only some of the ingredients that suggest diet pills should be taken off the over-the-counter market and become prescription drugs, if not banned. There are too many unknowns when reading the label and it is generally unsafe to consume these ingredients in hopes to lose weight, especially when diet and exercise has none of these potential health risks.

Ease of Purchase

In the pharmacy section of superstores, grocery stores, and department stores, there is a huge section for weight loss. From Slim Fast to Whey powder to meal supplements to protein bars, there's everything the consumer needs to develop into better shape. In the midst of all the weight loss products, there stands substantial section that is dedicated to diet pills.

Anyone, at any age, is permitted in this area to browse.

Men and women who are looking for a quick fix to their weight problem, and choose to go to the pharmacy section to look for diet pills, are not taking into consideration the effects it will have on their bodies. Before assessing their exercise level and the quality of their eating habits, and taking into account that weight loss pills are dangerous and may not work, they are able to have already bought a bottle of something that promises them quick results.

Adolescents who have low self-esteem, or teenagers want to lose ten pounds before the next high school dance, are easily able to purchase a bottle of diet pills, without their parents permission, unaware of the side effects and exaggeration of the bottle's advertisements.

Teenagers, and even adults who are suffering from an eating disorder, can simply buy the pills without talking to a doctor beforehand. Over dosing and becoming dependent can happen to anyone, but the risks of such are increased when an eating disorder or a low self-esteem issue is introduced.

Banning weight loss pills are a step towards promoting healthy eating, regular exercise, and an altogether healthier lifestyle. Some people may think that the pills are an easy way out, a quick way to lose weight. But it is, in fact unsafe and unhealthy, and the side effects of the pills are not what most people would expect.

Side Effects

When an advertisement promises to have thirty pounds of body fat lost in a matter two weeks, it sounds like a dream. The advertisement promises a suppressed appetite and a faster metabolism, and all the while you can eat whatever you want.

Or so it claims. The controversy of the effectiveness of diet pills is still ongoing.

What the extremely fine print on the label reads, or should read, is all of the bad side effects that the pills can bring upon you, not to mention how their pill may not work for you at all.

In general, you can expect headaches, dizziness, nausea, restlessness, nervousness, jitters, dry mouth, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation, along with disturbances in the intestines. It should make anyone think twice about taking a diet pill.

In more serious cases, increased blood pressure and heart rate, loss of sexual appetite, urinary tract infections, fever, heart arrhythmias, heart attack, stroke, and heart failure are possibilities. Although serious cases are more of a rare occurrence, the risks are still present.

In the event of an over dose, there can be convulsions, hallucinations, renal failure, and heart attack.

Exercise and Healthy Eating

Fruits and vegetables - and lots of them, whole grains and palm-sized servings of meat, is the absolute best way to shed extra pounds, and it is even more so when you add thirty minutes of daily exercise to the mix. It may not seem like a lot, but getting the right amount of nutrients in the food we eat, the right kind of carbohydrates, fats and sugars, make all the difference when it comes to one's overall health.

A slight lifestyle change is all that is required. There is no need to take a diet pill at all when you have healthy food and a pair of running shoes right at your fingertips. Especially after knowing what kind of side effects the pill causes, and what kind of ingredients are present in it.

There is no quick fix when it comes to losing weight - not all advertisements are true. Even if you lose weight quickly, it is not good for your body in the long run. With this being said, there is enough evidence that prove diet pills should be taken off the shelves, and there is more than enough proof that they should be banned.

Learn more about this author, Lauren Almeida.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.