When it comes to weight loss, there is no shortage of pills, drinks, and supplements claiming to help the weight fall off. But do weight loss pills help, and are they safe?
The best weight loss pills may contain one or more active ingredients intended to increase fat burning, decrease appetite, or reduce absorption of fat.
Not all weight loss pills and supplements are created equal. Certain pills may cause unpleasant side effects while others may not be proven to result in weight loss.
We will look at the following nine weight loss pills and supplements:
- Alli (orlistat)
- caffeine
- glucomannan
- garcinia cambogia extract
- pyruvate
- green tea extract
- conjugated linoleic acid
- Hydroxycut
- prescription weight loss pills
1. Alli (orlistat)
Alli is the brand name for the drug orlistat. It is one of the most popular weight loss supplements.
Orlistat is available as a prescription drug and also sold over the counter. It works by preventing the body from breaking down of some of the fat that people eat. When the intestines absorb less fat, weight loss may occur.
A review of 11 studies indicated that orlistat might increase weight loss by a small amount. The review found that those who took orlistat lost an average of 2.9 percent more weight than those who did not take the drug.
