If you are a person who has struggled with their weight and has

a BMI, or body mass index, above a 27, the idea of a pill

helping you lose weight is very appealing. Taking diet pills

seem to be the quick fix to helping obese persons lose weight.

There are advantages to taking diet pills, but you have to

weigh these benefits with the potential dangers of taking diet

pills.

Some things you have to be careful about when taking diet pills

are:

· Dangerous side effects and drug interactions – Some

prescription diet drugs are very strong. Possible side effects

occur in almost all prescription medications, and some can be

very serious in nature. Each diet pill has its own unique set

of side effect warnings, but some of the more commonly listed

side effects are dry mouth, sleeplessness, irritability, upset

stomach and constipation. You also have to look at the

possibility of drug interactions between the diet pills and

other medications you are taking. If you have any other health

issues, the taking of diet pills may cause serious consequences

when combined with other medications.

· The potential for becoming dependant of the diet pills –

There are many diet pills that can become habit forming. Some

prescription diet pills are stimulant-based and can be abused

by users. This abuse can lead to dependence, just as with any

other strong medication. Make sure to talk with your doctor if

he decides to put you on a diet prescription that has been

shown to be habit-forming. Find out what signs you should look

for to indicate if you are having a problem.

· The potential of the diet pills disrupting regular metabolism

– Since prescription diet drugs main purpose is to suppress

appetite, the person taking diet pills may find themselves

consuming many less calories than normal. This is good for

losing weight on the surface, but ultimately will lead to your

natural metabolism to slow down. When your natural metabolism

slows, so does the rate in which you lose weight. That is why

people who take diet drugs find they only lose a finite amount

of weight when they take diet pills alone.

In order for diet pills to work for you, the first thing you

should do is talk to your doctor. Find ways to change your

lifestyle on top of the taking of the diet drugs to help you

lose weight. Regular exercise, changing food choices, and

regular check-ups with your doctor are great ways to increase

your weight loss success.