Do Diet Pills Really Work - Part I

Many people wish they could lose a little weight without the burden of exercising or the agony of giving up their favorite snacks. Diet pills could be the easy answer. The question, however, is whether diet pills really do work. We have prepared a multiple part report looking at some of the issues involving diet pills.

Different Types of Diet Pills and How They Work

Diet pills operate through one of a number of mechanisms.

The first diet pill mechanism is appetite suppression. Catecholamines and their derivatives (such as amphetamine-based drugs) are the main tools used for this. The main types of catecholamines are dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. These substances break down into other compounds, which leave your body through your urine. Drugs blocking the cannabinoid receptors may be a future strategy for appetite suppression.

The second diet pill mechanism is to increase the body's metabolism. A person’s basal metabolic rate is a measure of the rate at which a person's body "burns" energy, in the form of calories, while at rest. The higher your BMR the more calories you will burn. These pills can often be natural substances like flax oil caplets.

A third diet pill mechanism is interference with the body's ability to absorb specific nutrients in food. For example, Orlistat (also known as by other names) blocks fat breakdown and thereby prevents fat absorption. The OTC fiber supplements glucomannan and guar gum have been used for the purpose of inhibiting digestion and lowering caloric absorption.

So which type of diet pills is right for you and do diet pills really work? Are diet pills safe and, if so, what if any, are the potential side effects? These topics and more will be addressed in upcoming reports highlighting the pros and cons and utility of diet pills. Stay tuned for Do Diet Pills Really Work? - Part II !