Our global weight problem is a concern to health organizations everywhere as there has been a corresponding increase in health issues; this situation is now affecting children of pre-school age and is a worrying aspect. The patient ones have to decide to face this problem by adjusting their diet and taking more exercise but the impatient ones usually decide on surgery. If surgery isn't bad enough, increasing numbers of overweight people start to take weight loss drugs as a fast and relatively inexpensive way to shed excess fat.

The process is relatively simple as the drugs act upon the brain's own chemical, serotonin, fooling the brain into believing it's not hungry and at the same time increasing the body's metabolism. That was all well and good until the point where more research had concluded that there was an increased risk of heart valve disease and as a consequence the drugs were withdrawn. Since then, newer drugs have been developed and doctors continue to prescribe them although they are still awaiting FDA certification.

These weight loss pills have become popular and you can almost guarantee that you will know of someone who has tried them with success. It is a tempting proposition, to lose weight while still maintaining the same diet; who would say no? This approach has seen consumers spend millions of dollars every year and has generated huge profits for the drug companies who manufacture and sell the weight loss drug.

The more recent weight control pills can be prescribed by your doctor, dietitian or purchased in a drug store and despite the advances made in the drug manufacture, there are still dangers including vomiting and stomach problems. Other harmful side effects include tightness in the chest, urinary tract problems and stroke. An overdose of the diet pills can cause tremors, confusion, hallucinations, shallow breathing, renal failure even heart attack and convulsions.

It is always a good idea to see your doctor first before you take any course of drugs; this can lower the possibility of some side effects occurring, although this may depend on the genetic makeup of the person using them. Other problems may also occur when the pills are discontinued. For instance it is not uncommon for people taking weight control pills to experience other side effects like sleep problems, tiredness, mood swings, stomach problems and more.

Generally from the reports it would seem that the effectiveness of weight loss drugs is improved if they are combined with a regular exercise program and a low calorie diet. This type of diet requires a balance of the food groups to ensure a proper intake of vitamins, minerals and fiber, almost all of which can be bought at your local supermarket but may require a little preparation.

Exercising will need to be carried out if you want to benefit from the healthy food option but this probably needs to be worked out in advance with your physician. A good exercise plan with the use of weights will help improve the body's ability to burn off the calories and maintain a healthy heart.