There are some safe and healthy appetite suppressants out there. The trick is to learn how to identify them. Sales of appetite suppressants make up a large part of the $66 billion weight loss market. But the concerning truth is that some types of these pills are outright dangerous. On the other hand, natural appetite suppressants can be not only safe, but actually good for you.
Types of Appetite Suppressants
The most important difference you need to understand is the one between appetite suppressant drugs and natural elements that cause this effect.
The former include:
Those names alone sound scary and unhealthy. Although, you’d know most of them by the names of brands like Belviq, Tenuate, Adipost, Adipex-P, and some others. Aside from appetite suppression, these drugs also have a few similar qualities, that include:
- They are addictive (creating an actual physical dependence that warrants the name ‘drug’)
- They cause a variety of neurological symptoms (anxiety, nervousness, headaches, dizziness)
- They can cause a variety of dangerous disorders (serotonin syndrome, high blood pressure, elevated heart rate, psychosis, tremors, etc.)
These appetite suppressants are in no way good or safe for you. Taking them can be warranted only if they are prescribed by your doctor and they see no better option. This usually happens in severe cases of obesity.
In no situation should you take these appetite suppressants for more than six weeks. Their highly additive nature (phendimetrazine is basically in the same group as amphetamines) makes them a huge risk, so intake control is a must. You also have to report any negative symptoms to your doctor immediately. They will check your condition and determine whether it’s safe to continue taking the drugs.
These types of appetite suppressants affect your body on a hormonal level. Although their mechanism of action is different, it all boils down to ‘tricking’ your body into feeling satiated by stimulating production of different hormones. This technique is effective, but it’s also not safe when done by such dangerous means.
Natural appetite suppressants, on the other hand, have a much, much milder effect on the hormones. Of course, this means they are much less effective. However, this also means that they aren’t dangerous, except for the rare cases when the person is allergic to the specific plant.
Natural Appetite Suppressants: Which Are Best?
There are quite a few elements that help suppress appetite, which are used in natural weight loss pills:
- Grapefruit essential oil
- Green tea extract
- Saffron extract
- Spicy foods
- High-fiber foods
The two latter groups, in particular, are a definite proof that you can get some natural appetite management aid without risks. In fact, you’ll get it with lots of health benefits as eating a high-fiber diet is associated with having a healthier heart and cardiovascular system. Huffington Post also highlights that eating spicy foods regularly benefits anything from weight loss to longevity.
Drinking green tea, eating citrus fruits, and spicing up your dishes with saffron also are good food choices. Especially, if you do this instead of drinking soda, snacking on crisps, and using processed sauces.
Using these appetite suppressants in their natural form or as a part of high-quality weight loss pills can be good for you. However, never forget that too much of a good thing can become bad really fast. So, to stay healthy and lose weight, you should maintain a healthy well-balanced diet.
In case your appetite seems ‘too much’, you should see a doctor. This can be a symptom of some health condition or a sign that your current diet is lacking in some essential nutrients. In either case, a checkup and consultation with a professional are necessary.
