There are always two ways to accomplish a target; a long arduous way that is usually the right way and a short cut that more often than not yields temporary results. Perhaps of all human endeavors this is most relevant when we talk of man’s eternal battle with his bulge.

As P.T Barnum said – “There’s a sucker born every minute and there are two to take him”. Applied to the endeavor of weight loss it means that for every person trying to lose weight there are two people out there trying to sell him a weight-loss or fat burn pill. What’s more these spin meisters will shove some quasi scientific jargon in your face and use Latin instead of simple English words to describe a condition, which they will exaggerate ten fold.

Companies selling fat burners feature models claiming that it’s the capsule that they pop that has given them the shape; even though your better sense screams inside you that this is simply not true you reason against reason. The chimera of a toned tummy appears within grasp and you reach for your wallet. You suspend common sense and believe what the ad says about proper nutrition and exercise not being enough to make you lose fat because your cortisol levels are too high!! You simply have to take their miracle pill if you wish to lose flab in this lifetime.

Another trick that these vendors use is that they invoke respectable studies to back their product but do not mention if their pills have the “active ingredient” studied in the research in the same proportion as in the study. Often, they try to hide behind the “proprietary medicine” façade. Also, it is not uncommon to have vendors push research carried out on rodents as proof that the ingredient they are selling actually works. Without prior research into the effects of a drug on humans and in the absence of FDA approval, consuming any such drug can be detrimental to your health. Know that testimonials do not count for much in most cases, do your own research before taking the plunge with any pill. Of course, the best thing to do would be to not take the plunge at all.

The ads and claims made by most fat burner capsule makers are blatantly misleading and false. In fact several of these companies are facing lawsuits from individuals as well as the Federal Trade Commission for intentional falsifying of information and make wrong claims about their products. All so-called fat burners are either appetite suppressants or work to increase the metabolic rate. However, the effect of such drugs is minuscule and the amount of calorie burning that they actually offer can be achieved in a healthier way by a number of other activities such as a brisk ten minute walk, taking the stairs to climb to the fourth floor, a little aerobics, etc.

Then why are we so ready to turn ourselves into couch-attached pill popping wastrels. Because we fall prey to clever marketing and we can get lazy. Pills cannot replace activity, loss of activity leads to serious muscle atrophy that cannot be corrected by popping pills.

If at all you do take these fat fighting pills make sure to check for information on contraindications and safety information. Often, such drugs with stimulants are not recommended for those with a heart condition and for expectant mothers. Diabetes and high blood pressure are other conditions in which consuming such medication may lead to complications.

The most popular miracle in a capsule for the past few years was Ephedra. It was used by a large number of college athletes and people wanting to get slim. The FDA classified Ephedra as a dietary supplement that was “presumed safe”. However, an increased number of cases filed by citizens against the vendors peddling ephedra finally led the FDA to ban the herb. Use of ephedra led to several cases of myocardial infarctions, seizures, strokes, and death.

There is a serious problem of regulating the proliferation of diet pills because they are not required by law to be tested by the FDA. FDA’s actions are corrective instead of pre-emptive, which means that a fat burning pill can be bought over-the-counter or as a prescription drug and continue to be sold till evidence against it comes to the fore and the people raise their voice. This can take years and in the meantime many lives can be damaged by these untested drugs.

As it is these drugs are risky, things can get worse for people who try to speed up their weight loss program by overdosing on these drugs. An overdose can result in convulsions, hallucinations, breathing problems and death. It is just not possible that these drugs that interfere with the body’s metabolism and restrict its ability to absorb fat, give a false feeling of satiety, and reduce weight by eliminating water can ever be helpful in the long term.

If you are taking diet pills and are experiencing any of the following symptoms, stop taking these pills immediately. Anxiety, insomnia, tightness in the chest, dizziness, irritability, stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea are symptoms you should be wary of. Often, people who take to these pills have problems with their self esteem and without knowing they get emotionally dependent on these pills. When one pill does not work to their satisfaction they hop on to another pill, it is important that these pill hoppers ditch this ride to nowhere and try to lose weight the honest way.