As most of you know, many diet drugs can cause serious health risks. One of the most publicized diet drugs, Fen-Phen, has been banned from the market. Now the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") has announced its intent to ban the use of another well-known supplement promoted for its weight loss effects: ephedra. So what is the real deal on diet drugs?

The Real Deal

As you might expect, the general purpose of all diet drugs is to promote weight loss. The most common means of doing this is by suppressing the appetite of the person taking the pills so that he or she eats less. Although most of us want to lose a few pounds for vanity, medical studies have shown that being overweight is very bad for your health. Carrying too many pounds is a leading cause of heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure. Right now, over a third of adult Americans and 20% of children are considered either overweight or obese and need to lose this extra weight in order to protect their health. Because so many of us need to lose weight, the diet pill business is booming. However, the question must be asked: How much risk should someone who wants or needs to lose some weight be willing to accept from the pills that help shed the pounds?

The dangers presented by diet drugs are well documented. Although some diet pills are available over-the-counter and others are available only through a doctor's prescription, both kinds of pills share one thing in common: a history of serious, dangerous side effects, including disruptions of brain function, primary pulmonary hypertension (known as PPH), and heart trouble. In fact, in the past 10 years a number of different diet drugs and dietary supplements marketed as promoting weight loss have been linked to different kinds of serious health problems, including Fen-Phen (serious heart problems), LipoKinetix (serious liver problems), and now ephedra (strokes, heart palpitations, and tremors).

While all of these drugs and supplements have either been banned or are the subject of warnings issued by the FDA, for every drug or supplement that is banned, 10 more remain for sale in the pharmacy or the grocery store. For example, there is a prescription weight loss drug available called Meridia. Despite the fact that the FDA found it only "moderately effective" in helping the seriously obese lose weight, the drug was approved. Now a consumer group has petitioned the FDA to have Meridia banned because of reports of a number of injuries and deaths associated with its use.

Some would argue that diet pills themselves are only half the problem and that the other half is the mindset people have that a bottle of pills can solve their problems. Although there are many people who have a medical need for diet drugs to help them control or reduce serious obesity, most doctors will tell you that diet pills are intended for short-term use, to help a person who is overweight or even clinically obese bring down his or her weight. However, doctors are not always aware of the dangers presented by the drugs they prescribe; very often, a doctor's main source for information about a drug is the drug manufacturer. Ultimately, even safe diet pills are not a long-term solution to a weight problem, and the only safe and sure way for an obese person to lose weight and keep it off is to change his or her lifestyle by eating less and exercising regularly.

If you suspect that you have been injured by one of the diet drugs mentioned here, or even by one not mentioned here, contact our office and we can help you to determine if you have a claim.

Diet Drug Warning Signs

Like all drugs, diet drugs have some commonly experienced side effects that are usually not life-threatening such as headaches, insomnia, dry mouth, or irritability. However, if you are taking diet drugs, it is important to recognize the signs of more serious problems. These warning signs include:

* Unusually high blood pressure;

* Unusually elevated heart rate (i.e., your heart is "racing");

* Mental disorders, such as depression, mania, or hallucinations;

* Serious skin irritations, rashes, or hives; and

* Numbness.

If you are taking a diet drug and experience any of these symptoms, you should seek medical help immediately. Failure to do so could result in serious, permanent injury, especially to your heart.

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