DIET PILLSJennifer Qing

What are diet pills?Pills that claim to make you

lose weight.

TYPES OF DIET PILLSAppetite-Suppressants• Reduce hunger• How they work

– affects certain neurotransmitters to decrease appetite– Increases heart rate and blood pressure– Increases serotonin and catecholamine levels

• Ingredients– CitriMax (HCA)– Hoodia gordonii– Green Tea Extract– Garcinia Cambogia– Caffeine

TYPES OF DIET PILLS CONT.

Hoodia Diet Pills• Type of appetite suppressant • Made from isolated ingredient

in Hoodia Gordonii plant • Plant found in the Kalahari

Desert of South Africa• Makes brain think you’re full• Active molecule is called P57– As it is passed to the brain,

it helps controlling the appetite

TYPES OF DIET PILLS CONT.Fat Burners (Thermogenic Diet Pills) • Contain stimulants that can decrease fat

absorption and/or increase muscle mass• Ingredients help your body use body fat

as a source of fuel for energy• Ingredients– Green tea– Chromium

Fat Blockers• prevent the lipases in the digestive system

from breaking down and storing the fat you ingest

• Ingredients– Chitosan combined with other fiber ingredients

TYPES OF DIET PILLS CONT.

TYPES OF DIET PILLS CONT.

Carbohydrate Blockers• inhibits the enzymes evolved in the break

down of carbohydrates into stored fat • Ingredients– phaselous vulgaris– Chromium Picolinate and Alpha Lipoic Acid

• This type of diet pill still under experimentation

TYPES OF DIET PILLS CONT.Antioxidants• Ex. Acai berry extract– Rich in antioxidants, fights free radicals

• Prevent cell oxidization and improve energy levels• Vitamins C, E and A are antioxidants• Antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables

A CLOSER LOOK AT SOME INGREDIENTS

Garcinia cambogia• Found in India• The active ingredient:

hydroxycitric acid• Suppressed appetite and

enhance fat burning• Supposed to suppress

enzymatic activity of citrate lyase, which is responsible for the breakdown of excess carbohydrates into fat storage

A CLOSER LOOK AT SOME INGREDIENTS CONT.Gymnema• Gymnema sylvestre is a plant

found in India and other parts of Asia

• The active ingredient: gymnemic acid

• Helps balance sugar levels• Gymnemic acid molecules are

similar to glucose molecules– They inhibit glucose cell

receptorsprevents uptake of sugar molecules

WHERE TO BUYPrescription• Prescribed to obese individuals with a BMI of 35

or more• These pills have more serious side-effects • These pills are regulated by the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research

• Ex. Meridia and XenicalOver-the-counter• Wide range of effectiveness• Products considered by FDA to be over-the-

counter weight control are those containing the active ingredient phenylpropanolamine

CONSEQUENCES/SIDE AFFECTS• Some Possible General side

effects: high blood pressure, irregular heart rate, sleep problems, nervousness, seizures, insomnia, acne, nose bleeds

• Excessive weight loss can be dangerous

• Diet pills are not considered to be an addictive drug– But people can become

dependent on diet pills

POTENTIALLY HARMFUL PRODUCTS (IDENTIFIED BY FDA OR OTHER CONSUMER WATCH GROUPS)

Aristolochic Acid• associated with permanent kidney damage• Can develop certain types of cancersEphedra• Also known as Ma-huang• Chemically similar to methamphetamine, which is “speed”Herbal weight loss tea/Dieter’s tea• Marketed as “natural laxatives”Ineffective method of weight loss• Can result in bowel dependency (constipation) on the laxative propertiesTiratricol• Triiodothyroacetic acid, or TRIAC• A strong thyroid hormone• Linked to stroke and heart attacks

ARE DIET PILLS A GOOD OPTION FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

No.• Should not rely on diet pills to lose weight• They are not a long-term solution and they

come with the risk of side effects!• According to surveys, constant and long term

weight control is not possible by simply taking diet pills

• “If you have not solved the problem that caused you to be overweight in the first place, the weight will return.”

BETTER WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT• Diet pills may help you get started on losing weight• In the long run, it’s about making lifestyle changes• Instead of relying on pills, change eating and

exercising habits

Sources:• http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_pills.php• http://health.howstuffworks.com/medicine/medicatio

n/diet-pill.htm• http://www.pamf.org/teen/risk/drugs/stimulants/diet

pills.html• http://www.dietpills-information.com/• http://www.healthreserve.com/diet_pills/

diet_pills.htm• http://www.science20.com/erin039s_spin/

real_deal_behind_diet_pills-34359• http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2007/01/

prescription-diet-pills-history-of-fda.html• http://moderndietpills.com/how-do-diet-pills-work/• http://www.diet-pills.cc/diet-pill-types.html