We’ve all looked at our reflection in the mirror sometime or the other and wished we could change a few things here and there. Although staying fit and healthy should be an important concern for all of us. So what have you tried? Magic powders that promise to melt away layers of fat, creams that swear they can get rid of cellulite and electronic devices that claim to make slim bodies a reality. And let’s not forget the almost holy like place that weight loss pills have in almost every pharmacy, wellness store or even supermarket.

So are weight loss pills good or bad? The fact is that while there are many health experts who do advocate the reasonable use of weight loss pills in combination with a healthy diet and exercise, there are also many others who state that healthy eating, regular exercise, and portion control is all that’s required for losing those kilos. Are all weight loss pills the same? No, they aren’t and they usually fall into either one of these categories-
a) Pills that help speed up the body’s metabolism.
b) Pills that help suppress the appetite (give you a feeling of fullness).
c) Pills that act as fat blockers and prevent it from being digested in the body.

Most weight loss pill manufacturers these days are careful to include the use of ingredients that have been known to enhance body metabolism or enable fat loss. And when you see an attractively packaged bottle claiming to enable weight loss being backed by ample clinical results, it is hard to walk away and forget about it. For instance, Zotrim contains ingredients like guarana which boosts the metabolism on one hand and slows down digestion on the other. This makes the user feel less hungry which eventually means smaller plate portions. Other metabolism boosters like Capsiplex, contain real extracts of red pepper which could help the body burn more calories effectively. Weight loss pills containing extracts of green tea are believed to be just about as effective as drinking the bitter brew itself.

So far Xenical is the only weight loss pill that is currently being prescribed to patients with a BMI of over 30 or for those who have a high BMI combined with other health problems. Xenical works as a fat absorption inhibitor which blocks almost 30% of the total fat one consumes from being directly absorbed and eliminates it in bowel movements. Although they may give you results, most people develop some tolerance towards weight loss pills after an initial period of 6 months. So that means that even if you have lost some weight, it is likely that you could put back whatever was shed within just a few months. Secondly, most people usually experience at least one side-effect while consuming such pills such as nausea, frequent headaches, feeling jittery or edgy, diarrhoea or mild tummy aches.

Sticking to a workout regime like martial arts classes and being careful with your diet can work more wonders for your body than any weight loss pill brand.  Being healthy isn’t just about the size of your body, but about putting the right things in to keep disease away, and exercising to keep our hearts healthy and minds sharp.  These are things diet pills just can’t do.  In the end there is no subsitute for the real thing.