Healthy Information
Dangerous Shortcuts to Weight Loss – Are They Worth It? Feb 07, 2008Dr. Carlos Santo
I was drawn recently to a headline that read, “Yo-yo Dieter Janet Jackson Reveals Her Ultra Thin Waist.” It chronicled how in just four months, this modern day icon lost no less than sixty pounds - quite the amazing feat, it would seem. The problem is Ms. Jackson’s been on this weight gain and loss roller coaster for much of her adult life. She is in fact planning to release her own “emotional eating” nutrition book later this year. This piece really made me reflect on how weight conscious we are as a society and how much the drug industry has attempted to capitalize on our fears.
Concerns abound about a new weight loss drug proposed to be released later this year called Taranabant. Showing promising potential for not only weight loss but for cholesterol reduction too, this drug does not come without serious side effects. Study participants did lose a few pounds but showed nearly twice the incidence of depression and suicidal thoughts than in those taking placebo (sugar) pills. Taranabant belongs to the same family of medicines rejected last year due to similar side effects. They work by blocking the same brain centers that make people hungry when smoking marijuana.
The sordid history of weight loss drugs runs quite long. One other pair of drugs worthy of note is Fen-phen. Popularized in the 1980’s and 90’s as the celebrities’ choice for leaner bods, this duo was finally banned in 1997 after it was linked with severe and permanent heart problems, primarily in women. Why this is of current concern is that one of the two drugs, phentermine, still remains on the market today and is routinely used by doctors to aid in weight loss.
Just because something is labeled “natural” does not guarantee its safety either. Ephedra, a naturally occurring desert plant, has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries for a variety of illnesses. Belonging to the amphetamine class of drugs, it was banned in 2004 in the US because of links with heart attacks and stroke. Unfortunately, once word got out about its potential benefits on the waistline, some people assumed that if a little is good, a lot must be better; and this marked the downfall of the ephedra market in the US. Despite attempts by the natural foods industry to have the ban lifted, the FDA holds strong on its stance.
There really is no quick fix when it comes to weight loss. Anything that sounds too good to be true probably isn’t. Let’s define some of the more common buzz words used in the weight loss industry:
Stimulant –Increases calorie burning by speeding up the nervous system. May work in the short-term, but over time can actually make you fat by increasing your stress hormones. Examples include caffeine, guarana, ephedra.
Thermogenic - Similar to stimulants but possibly safer and healthier if used properly. Examples include ginseng, ginkgo, and gotu kola.
Diet – These foods and beverages are laced with artificial sugars which have a ton of side effects all their own. Since the first diet soft drinks were introduced in the 1970’s, obesity rates have more than doubled in the US. Doubled!
Low Fat – Often times fat is replaced by sugar and starch, which actually make us fat and cause heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and many cancers.
Appetite suppressant – Works on the brain’s appetite control center. Many anti-depressant drugs are used for this purpose, which is considered an “off-label” usage. I say “no way” to these.
No fat burning magic bullet has been found yet that doesn’t come with a host of problems. Let me suggest to you to put down the pills and lace up your walking shoes if you really want sustained, healthy weight loss. You’ll trim down, look and feel healthier, and you’ll be more likely to keep off the pounds for a very long time.