How Do Appetite Suppressants Work?

Most people understand the important of a healthy diet and regular physical exercise, but may struggle to lose weight even while counting calories and putting in time at the gym. Appetite suppressants can help users to lose weight rapidly and to keep it off over the long term, but how do they work?

The benefits of maintaining a healthy weight are innumerable. Even losing just ten percent of your body weight can decrease your risk of having a stroke or a heart attack. Losing weight improves your mobility, energy level and quality of sleep. It can reduce pain and potentially reverse type 2 Diabetes. Over half of Americans admit that they’d like to lose weight, but many are not actively working toward this goal because they think it’s unattainable or they don’t know how. Most people understand the important of a healthy diet and regular physical exercise, but may struggle to lose weight even while counting calories and putting in time at the gym. Appetite suppressants can help users to lose weight rapidly and to keep it off over the long term, but how do they work?

Types of Diet Drugs

The health market is full of products that can help users to lose weight, but most prescription weight-loss drugs fall into two categories; appetite suppressants and fat blockers. One works to diminish your appetite, helping you to decrease the amount of food you take in. The other decreases the amount of fat the body absorbs from food that has been consumed. Each patient is different, and weight loss doctors can help individuals identify which drug will be most effective for them.

How Do Fat Blockers Work?

The main fat blocking drug is called Orlistat, and it is often sold under the brand name Xenical. This drug attaches to the enzyme that facilitates fat absorption and deactivates it. Instead of absorbing the fat the body excretes it. Patients who take this drug may continue to enjoy fatty foods without adding excess fat to their waistlines. While over-the-counter versions of this drug are available, it is uncertain whether they are as effective as the prescription drug.

How Do Appetite Suppressants Work?

Many dieters fail to lose weight because they grow tired of feeling hungry all the time. In some cases, poorly adjusted brain chemistry can lead to a feeling of hunger even when the body does not require additional calories. This causes the person to overeat. Appetite suppressants alter brain chemistry by stimulating the nervous system. They alter the chemical and hormonal processes responsible for hunger pangs and the feeling of being full or satiated. Hunger pains are reduced by increasing the heart rate and blood pressure and by interrupting the signal that the brain sends to the body telling it when to feel hungry. The drugs can also help the body to feel satiated by increasing the sense of well-being, which reduces the need to overeat for physical or emotional satisfaction. 

The result of these chemical and hormonal alterations is a diminished appetite and elevated metabolism. The diminished appetite keeps users from feeling hungry when they don’t really need to eat. This helps users to consume less food and therefore fewer calories. The elevated metabolism enables the user to burn more calories each day. The combination of fewer calories consumed and more calories expended leads to weight loss.

Appetite suppressants come in many forms. Phentermine is often sold under the brand names Adipex-P, Fastin or Ionamin. Phendimetrazine may be called Bontril, Plegine or Prelu-2. Tenuate and Tenuate Dospan are both types of Diethylpropion. While the drugs differ slightly, they all work in basically the same way. A doctor can help you to determine which drug and dosage are right for you.

Aren’t Appetite Suppressants Dangerous?

Many people are hesitant to use appetite suppressants because they remember the class action suite against Fen Phen, a controversial diet medication that was rumored to have potentially serious side effects, including an increased potential for heart valve disease. However, the FDA requested that the drugs responsible for these problems be removed from the market, and the products available today have been used safely for years. Most prescriptions drugs have minor side effects, and diet drugs are no exception. Users may experience increased blood pressure and heart rate, headaches, dry mouth, insomnia and constipation. However, these effects are generally minor and subside over time. They are also much less serious than the consequences of obesity. Patients who are apprehensive about the use of diet medications should speak with a weight loss doctor to discuss their concerns. 

What Are the Benefits of Weight Loss Drugs?

Weight loss drugs can help patients to lose weight more quickly and easily than may be possible with diet and exercise alone. Losing even a modest amount of weight can decrease your risk of getting diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and even some types of cancer. It can diminish the chance that you’ll have a stroke or heart attack. It can improve the quality of your sleep as well as your sex life. It can alleviate joint and back pain and improve mobility. A healthy lifestyle can add years to your life expectancy and increase the quality of life you experience now and in the future.

In addition to the health benefits of losing weight, many people experience lifestyle benefits as well. With increased energy and the boost in self-esteem that often comes with a slimmer physique you may find yourself with greater confidence, less stress and a better body image. You’ll feel more alert and mentally sharp. Your relationships may improve and you may enjoy a more active social life. You may experience less anxiety and depression. It is likely your overall mood will be much more positive and upbeat as you enjoy your new sense of health, strength and vitality.

A nutritious diet and adequate exercise are central to any weight loss plan, but for many people they are not enough. A weight loss specialist can work with you to formulate a health and fitness plan that may include nutritional coaching, physical activity and weight loss drugs so you get the results you’re working for. They can also supervise your weight loss efforts over time, helping you to move past plateaus and make the changes necessary to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.