In 30 seconds
The most sustainable way to lose weight is with a balanced diet, exercise, and making lifestyle changes that you can maintain. But weight loss pills do exist, and for men with a high body mass index (BMI), tablets such as glucomannan (a dietary fiber supplement) or orlistat can make a difference. Diet pills should be treated with the same caution as other medications and, in some cases, negative side effects can outweigh benefits.
The Best Weight Loss Strategy
Maintaining a healthy weight reduces the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. But even though it’s easy to see the health benefits of weight loss and reducing your body fat percentage, it can be a tough journey. It’s easy to say that losing weight is just a matter of using more energy than you consume, but it doesn’t work quickly for everyone, and keeping up your motivation to lose weight is a psychological challenge too.
Although diet pills are no substitute for eating well and moving more, there is evidence that some ingredients in some of the tablets might help you to lose weight.
Here, we’ll tell you about the different kinds of weight loss pills, which may be the most effective, and how you can use them safely.
What weight loss pills are out there?
The majority of diet pills claim to work in one of the following ways:
- Lipase inhibitors stop your body from absorbing some of the fat you eat.
- Appetite suppressants make you feel fuller, so you eat less.
- Metabolism boosters encourage your body to burn more of the energy you consume.
Let’s take a look at some of the products in each of these categories.
Diet pills to reduce the amount of fat your body absorbs
Orlistat
The prescription medication orlistat (also known as Xenical, or the lower dose, over the counter Alli) is given to men as a short term treatment if they’ve already tried to lose weight through lifestyle changes like diet and exercise. Usually, it’s only prescribed to men with a starting BMI of over 30 (or over 27, if you already have a condition that’s linked to obesity).
Orlistat stops your body from absorbing about a third of the fat that you eat. Instead of being stored in your body, it’s eliminated in your stool.
This means that there can be some digestion-related side effects – abdominal pain, gas, oily stool, and needing to poo more often. Orlistat works better (and the side effects are often more manageable) if you eat a low-fat diet while you’re taking it.
Diet pills to reduce your appetite
Glucomannan
Glucomannan is a fibre supplement made from the root of the konjac plant. It absorbs as much as 50 times its weight in water, which means that you’ll feel fuller after meals, eat less throughout the day, and avoid additional weight gain.
You can read more here: Glucomannan and Weight Loss: the Facts
As well as supporting weight loss, glucomannan can ease constipation. Some studies also show that it can lower your cholesterol and triglyceride levels and keep your blood sugar levels stable.
It’s generally agreed that a 1g daily dose of glucomannan is enough to see the benefits, and that the body can tolerate 2-4g well. The higher the dose, the more likely you are to have the common side effects of diarrhoea and bloating.
This being said, it’s important to take glucomannan (and other weight loss supplements) as directed. It’s worth noting that the supplement can cause choking if it’s not taken with enough water – so much so that it’s banned in sweets and jellies in the EU, and Glucomannan tablets are banned in Australia.
Phentermine
Phentermine is present in several prescription diet pills and weight loss medications. The most common is Qsymia, where it’s used in combination with topiramate. This medication works on your brain to decrease your appetite.
However, weight loss drugs containing phentermine should be treated with caution, as it can be addictive. Among the serious side effects are sleeplessness, nervousness, manic episodes and suicidal thoughts. These drugs are currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration but are not normally available on the UK NHS.
Naltrexone hydrochloride and bupropion hydrochloride
Like phentermine, naltrexone and bupropion work on your central nervous system to reduce your feelings of hunger. They’re commonly found in Contrave. As with Qsymia, it’s important to be aware of the potential mental-health side effects of this drug.
Diet pills to boost your metabolism
Several diet supplements claim to speed up fat burning and fat loss. You’re most likely to find them combined in weight loss pills that claim to be more ‘natural’, like PhenQ or Phengold.
Top of the list of natural diet aids are:
- Cayenne pepper
- Black pepper
- Green coffee beans
- Raspberry ketones
- Green tea extract
All of these claim to encourage your body to break down stored fat and burn it more quickly. They’ll often add caffeine for a tangible energy boost too.
PhenQ and Phengold also contain a patented form of Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA). There’s some evidence that this ingredient might speed up weight loss.
Key Takeaways
Studies show that some diet pills can help support you on your weight loss journey and help you stick to your weight management plan.
Prescription medications like Orlistat can be taken for a short time when you begin to lose weight, and appetite suppressants like Glucomannan (either alone or in combination with other ingredients) can help you to feel satisfied as you reduce the amount you eat.
But whatever you choose, it will work more effectively, more sustainably, and with fewer health risks if you combine it with a balanced diet, more movement throughout your day, and a good night’s sleep.
Find out more about your weight loss options here:
What’s a Good Weight Loss Diet for Men?
Weight Loss Plan for Men: Options and Tips.
FAQs
Who should not take weight loss pills?
Usually, diet pills are only prescribed to people who have already tried to lose weight through diet and exercise, and whose starting BMI is over 30 (or over 27 if you have certain risk factors). For people with a lower BMI, it’s often better to manage weight with lifestyle changes.
Even people who are prescribed tablets such as orlistat are often on the medication for three months only, unless the medication has been so effective that they’ve lost more than 5% of their body weight in that time. Prescription diet pills are not recommended for most people as a long term solution.
Can diet pills help me to lose weight without exercise?
If you want to lose weight but can’t exercise because of illness or injury, diet pills can be an option. You would still have to combine a lipase inhibitor like orlistat with a healthy, low-fat diet, or use glucomannan to reduce the amount that you eat.
Read more here: How to Lose Weight Without Exercise
What are the best tips for losing weight?
You’re much more likely to lose weight if you make a plan that fits around your weekly routine and that makes you happy. If you enjoy getting out in the fresh air or going to the gym, building more physical activity into your week is a good place to start. If your working hours suit it, intermittent fasting can also be helpful.
But across the board, some of the best things you can do to encourage your body to lose weight are:
- Sleep better – check out Manual’s sleep supplements if this is an issue for you
- Drink more water
- Eat plenty of vegetables, lean meats and plant proteins, and choose complex carbohydrates rather than sugary white carbs
- Reduce your alcohol intake
