Weight loss pills: how they work and how effective they are for weight loss
At the pharmacy counters we can find a multitude of over-the-counter weight loss pills: fat burners, captagrasasas, orlistat… But do they really work? What do you have to do to get the desired results? We explain it to you.
According to the “European Regional Report on Obesity 2022”, published by the Office of the World Health Organization (WHO), 59% of European adults are overweight or obese and almost all countries have rates of over 50%.
Spain is in 9th position among the 53 countries analyzed, with total rates of excess weight above 60%.
These figures give us an idea of the epidemic proportions that obesity has reached and also why diet pills that promise rapid weight loss are in such high demand.
DO DIET PILLS WORK?
The sale of slimming products is one of the most popular in pharmacies. According to Dr. Diego Bellido, a physician specializing in endocrinology and nutrition and former vice-president of the Spanish Society for the Study of Obesity (SEEDO), spending on obesity treatments accounts for almost 20% of overall pharmaceutical spending.
But what do experts think about over-the-counter diet pills? For Bellido, there are no serious clinical trials to prove their efficacy.
More than half of Spaniards are obese or overweight.
“These are subjective conditions, which do not have any statistically significant implications at the population level,” the endocrinologist explains.
Rosa Arnau, president of the Official College of Pharmacists of Castellón, maintains that “the pill alone will hardly give the desired results if it is not accompanied by a change in lifestyle”.
This is also fundamental for Dr. Bellido: “diet with a change of habits and regular exercise are the basis of the treatment”, he says.
HOW DO FAT BURNING PILLS WORK?
The claim of certain slimming pills and supplements is that, thanks to them, metabolic expenditure increases.
They typically contain thermogenic chemicals like green or red tea, green coffee, guarana, or caffeine.
Again, a balanced diet and frequent exercise help raise metabolic expenditure.
As they are stimulant substances, it is not advisable to take them if you find it difficult to sleep.
As regards strictly pharmacological treatment, Bellido believes that there is no drug that produces this thermogenic effect to date, and this is explained because it would greatly increase the heart rate.
Nevertheless, “it is a very interesting line of research for the future,” says the expert.
HOW DO FAT-BLOCKING PILLS WORK?
Weight loss pills that promise to block and capture fat are another popular choice. The most common active ingredients in this type of pill are three:
WEIGHT LOSS PILLS WITH L-CARNITINE.
As Rosa Arnau explains, L-carnitine is essential for fats to enter the mitochondria, which are in charge of using them as energy (i.e. burning them).
“This chemical burns fat, but only at high doses of 4 grams per day and over six months.
Then, only intensive activity shows its effects “Pharmacist explains.
SLIMMING PILLS WITH CHITOSAN
Arnau says this component from crab shells absorbs lipids “like a sponge.”
It then carries them to the large intestine to be consumed by the intestinal flora, a mechanism that can cause gas to form.
WHAT IS ORLISTAT
It is the active element of two obesity drugs: a stronger one available with a prescription and a gentler one sold without one.
“It is a derivative of lipstatin, a substance that inhibits the enzyme that cuts fats (lipase) in the intestine. Since they are not cut, they cannot be absorbed and are eliminated in the feces,” explains Rosa Arnau.
The expert also tells us that it can generate side effects such as fatty diarrhea, urgency to go to the bathroom, nausea, vomiting, headaches or even depressive problems.
HOW LONG CAN SLIMMING PILLS BE TAKEN?
It depends, above all, on the composition. “These are obviously not intended to be taken chronically,” says the pharmacist. It is best to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and the advice of our doctor or pharmacist”.
Pregnancy, nursing, diabetes, hypertension, heart, and thyroid diseases prohibit their use.
If you have intestinal inflammation or constipation, they are not indicated.
People with hypertension or thyroid disorders should not take them.
