Diet Information Center

   What type of prescription diet pills are available?

    There are two main types of diet drugs available:

1. Appetite Suppressants: Appetite-regulation drugs which work on chemicals inside the brain to partially suppress appetite, and
2. Fat-Absorption Inhibitors: (Fat Blockers) Work in the digestive system to block the fat from being digested.

    Appetite Suppressants

Appetite suppressants promote weight loss by tricking the body into believing that it's not hungry or that it's full. They decrease appetite by increasing serotonin or catecholamine -- two brain chemicals that affect mood and appetite.

There are several types appetite suppressants available by prescription:

Phentermine is an appetite suppressant which works by tricking the brain into thinking you're not hungry. It disrupts the transmission of signals from the neurotransmitters in your brain. The result is you don't feel hungry, you feel full and eat less.

Arguably Phentermine is the most popular prescription diet pill on the market today. Sold under the brand names of Adipex, Ionamin, and also as generic Phentermine HCL, Phentermine accounts for almost half the sales of prescription Appetite Suppressants. Perhaps the most compelling reason is that it's much cheaper than other FDA approved drugs. More...

Meridia, the brand name for sibutramine, is a neuro transmitter reuptake inhibitor that suppresses appetite by inhibiting the reuptake of certain hormones. It therefore helps to increase the levels of these hormones that control appetite and hunger in the brain. It is the first "selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor" (SSRI) to be used for the specific use of weight loss.

Bontril, Didrex and Tenuate are known as anorectic or anorexigenic drugs. Similar to Phentermine, Bontril stimulates the central nervous system, increasing heart rate and blood pressure and decreasing your appetite. These diet pills are used as a short-term obesity treatment and should be combined with a calorie controlled diet and exercise program.

    Fat-Absorption Inhibitors

Fat-absorption inhibitors, or "Fat Blockers", work by preventing your body from breaking down and absorbing fat eaten with your meals. This unabsorbed fat is eliminated by bowel movements.

Xenical is the only example of this type of treatment approved for use in the US. Xenical works by blocking about 30% of dietary fat from being absorbed, and is the most recently approved weight loss drug.
 

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