August 20, 2007 Q. I need to loose 30 pounds. What do you suggest as far as weight loss pills?

Sadly, ephedra products are on the way out. In fact, Metabadrine is the only one available as of August 2007. The supplies are low and once they are gone, the best herbal diet pill will be gone. Be on the lookout for ephedra scams - Many makers have started selling products made with ephedra leaves. Read the label! The front of the label looks the same and a product you may have purchased in the past, but the "supplement facts" tell the story.

Diet pills abound on the Internet and in stores. Some of these pills are only available with a doctor's prescription, while others can be purchased over the counter (OTC). Popular prescription drugs include Bontril, which is an appetite suppressant. Xenical®, and now a lower dosage OTC version , Alli TM, is a weight loss pill which helps the body absorb fat. (You may have heard the warnings about diarrhea). Meridia, a drug that encourages weight loss, and Phentermine which is easily the most popular weight loss pill in the United States today, are also availble with a prescription. Maybe ephedra will be available with a prescription in the future.

Whereas prescription drugs are available only from a licensed physician, over the counter supplements can be purchased by anyone and contain such ingredients as amino acids, vitamins, minerals, botanicals, herbs, etc. They typically come in capsules, powder, and pill form but are not a substitute for proper diet and exercise. When combined with a healthy well balanced diet and exercise, these pills can be effective in losing weight.

When purchasing any weight loss supplement, prescription or natural, it is important to speak with your doctor beforehand to check the ingredients, and read the labels carefully. Some serious side effects can occur when using drugs. Unfortunately, ephedra is no longer widely available. Even the most popular weight loss supplements can cause problems, with or without Ephedra present! High doses of caffeine (which many weight loss products have) have been known to cause problems with the heart, and still other drugs are under the suspicions of the FDA.