8 Dangers of Weight Loss Pills We Shouldn’t Ignore

6 months ago

Diet pills can be very tempting for people who are struggling with managing their weight or trying to lose it. They will often try anything and everything they can to lose weight, but not all of these options are healthy or good for us. Without proper research, we might end up hurting ourselves. Diet pills are an example of that. There are no magic pills that will lose weight for you, they will only hurt you.

Bright Side fully supports a healthy lifestyle, as long as it’s done properly. That’s why we want to show you a few dangers of those so-called “diet pills.”

1. Liver damage

Many people are battling weight-loss around the world, but diet and exercise aren’t really enough for some of them so they seek out dietary supplements such as diet pills or fat burners. However, a lot of people ignore the bad side effects some of these pills may have like liver damage, according to this study.

2. Kidney problems

The kidneys are another victim of these weight loss pills. According to this source, Hydroxycut products can cause many issues for you if you take them, and kidney failure is on that list.

3. Sleeplessness

Sleeplessness or insomnia is yet another potential side effect of diet pills. A lot of them contain stimulants that might keep you awake at night, especially if you’ve already taken other stimulants like coffee.

4. High blood pressure

A diet pill known as Ephedra, or ma-huang, can cause a number of side effects — high blood pressure being one of them, according to Mayo Clinic. Fortunately, it’s banned by the FDA.

5. Diarrhea

Some fat-burner pills (such as CLA-1000) can indeed cause diarrhea. It’s one of the many side effects that these so-called diet pills have. And having diarrhea for a prolonged period of time can be very dangerous because all the water you lose causes dehydration and the loss of electrolytes. If it persists for more than a few days, it’s best to call your doctor.

6. Rectal bleeding

According to this study, some weight loss medications can cause colon ischemia, also known as rectal bleeding. Phentermine is one of those drugs that comes with this side effect even though it’s approved for short-term use to lose weight. It’s important not to take more than the recommended dosage and not to extend the period of time you take it.

7. Increased heart rate

Diet pills have an amphetamine-like effect that will increase your heart rate and according to Danny Lee-Frost, the head of MHRA, if you have heart problems you don’t know about, diet pills will reveal them to you.

8. Headache

Headaches are also a side effect of taking diet pills like Iorcaserin and Contrave. If any symptoms appear, it’s best to consult a doctor about it.

It’s imperative we know that diet pills will not give us the weight loss results we want. Instead, we should focus on a healthy diet and exercise. After all, it’s those 2 things plus a bit of willpower that will get you in better shape!

Maybe some of you can help other readers with their weight loss journeys. What are the best, healthy, and safe ways to lose weight for you? Please, share them with us and let’s help each other!

Preview photo credit shutterstock.com
Illustrated by Alena Sofronova for Bright Side

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Yeah I knew they were dangerous. I never bought them because it's better to keep a healthy diet and sport than kill you body with such "pills"

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