The appeal of losing weight quickly is hard to resist. But do weight-loss pills and products lighten anything but your wallet? And are they a safe option for weight loss? Here's a look at some over-the-counter weight-loss pills and what they will and won't do for you.
Setting realistic expectations
There's no magic bullet for losing weight. The most effective way to lose weight and keep it off is through lifestyle changes. Eat a healthy low-calorie diet with lots of fruits and vegetables and be physically active.
Weight-loss pills — prescription medicines, nonprescription drugs, herbal medicines or other dietary supplements — are all, at best, tools that may help with weight loss. But there is relatively little research about these products, and the best studied of these are prescription weight-loss drugs.