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Weight Loss > Appetite Suppressants & Diet Pills

Appetite suppressant medication, or weight loss drugs and diet pills, are intended to decrease either appetite, metabolism, or absorption. Because of side-effects and less than stellar results, they are often tried but then discontinued without much success.

Amphetamine-based drugs can suppress the appetite and may also increase the body's metabolism. They are not without possible side-effects and are not designed for prolonged use. While effective in the short term, they are also stimulants that have a long history of being abused.

Nonprescription products that claims to promote weight loss are heavily marketed because their often wild claims of effectiveness and safety are not regulated by the FDA. Laxatives, water pills, and over-the-counter diet pills generally have little or no lasting effect on body fat.

The big problem at present is that the neural mechanisms controlling appetite and satiety are not well understood and so pharmacological approaches are more a matter of hit and miss.