The History of Weight Loss Pills

Even though weight-loss pills are often considered a new invention, they have actually been around for quite some time. In this article, we provide a short overview of the history of weight loss pills to show you how they were created and what their future direction will be.

Continue reading to find out more about the history of weight loss pills and get some interesting insights about their present and future.

Creation of Weight Loss Pills

Believe it or not, in the 1930s, the ingredients behind diet pills came from amphetamines. These stimulants work as great appetite suppressants, and they also boost metabolism. The only (quite obvious) side effect was their extremely addictive nature, which led to their ultimate decline.

After that, in the 1970s, a combination of fenfluramine and phentermine, which was known as Fen-Phen, started gaining popularity. Unfortunately, this combination was then linked to severe health issues and was therefore discontinued.

In recent years, there have been several safe and FDA-approved diet pills. This is an ongoing field of research, but many steps have been taken towards a better understanding of the human body in relation to food reception and lipid storage.

How Do Diet Pills Function?

Diet pills mostly function as appetite suppressors. By targeting the brain’s appetite control centers, they might contain some compounds that mimic neurotransmitters like serotonin, which will make you feel full and less hungry and, therefore, reduce calorie intake.

Together with that, diet pills also work as metabolism boosters, increasing your heart rate as well as your energy expenditure. This boost can lead to more calories burned, which is a great aid in weight loss processes.

Some pills also work on enzymes that break down dietary fat. By inhibiting these enzymes, fat absorption will be reduced and the body won’t store as much body fat. Finally, some diet pills also target hormones that regulate hunger and metabolism, which can be of good aid when controlling appetite.

Natural Alternatives to Phentermine

There are many other different routes to take if you don’t want to use diet pills, such as phentermine pills. A great natural alternative to phentermine can be a simple set of dietary changes, where adopting a balanced and calorie-controlled diet could lead to the same type of results. By incorporating more fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, as well as whole grains, you can reduce your intake of processed foods and sugars and therefore, lose some weight naturally.

Regular exercise and intermittent fasting are also great options to consider when trying to lose weight, as a combination of aerobic and strength training can boost metabolism. Similarly, intermittent fasting can help stimulate the body’s natural process of fat-burning during fasting periods.

Herbal supplements such as green tea, cinnamon and cayenne pepper can also be useful for weight loss, as they have natural metabolism-boosting properties and can lead to similar results as diet pills. Adequate sleep and portion control can also be considered useful allies, as both of these methods are extremely useful for other related conditions such as stress management and depression.

This was an overview of the history of diet pills, together with some natural supplements that people can consider when trying to lose weight. It is important to consider every possible path before finding the right method to use.

Diet pills should be used carefully and with a good understanding of the way they function, their benefits and their side effects. Thank you for reading this and we hope it was useful to gain some more knowledge on the matter of diet pills and their natural alternatives.

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Dr. Dana Kim is a clinical pharmacist. She earned her doctorate in pharmacy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has worked as a home infusion pharmacist and has written clinical communications for patients and professionals for more than ten years. Dr. Kim is also a Writer for familyfoodandtravel.com.

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Written by Dr. Dana Kim
Medical Writer & Editor

Dr. Dana Kim is a clinical pharmacist. She earned her doctorate in pharmacy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has worked as a home infusion pharmacist and has written clinical communications for patients and professionals for more than ten years. Dr. Kim is also a Writer for familyfoodandtravel.com.

View all post by Dr. Dana Kim