After reviews on their weight-loss drug, Abbott Laboratories has decided to voluntarily withdraw Meridia from the American Market.  This is according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This was after the drug showed indications of increasing the person’s risk of suffering from heart attack.

Director of New Drugs of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research said that the drug’s effects in increasing the risk of stroke and heart attack do not justify the minimal weight loss that it brings to consumers. He added that physicians were advised to stop prescribing Meridia to patients.  Those who are already taking the drug are advised to stop taking the medication and seek the help of medical experts for a healthier alternative treatment to take the place of Meridia and sustain continuous weight loss.

The weight loss drug, which is commonly prescribed to people suffering from obesity, received approval from the FDA for mass sale in November of 1997. And ironically, the drug was expected to reduce the risk of heart disease caused by obesity. The FDA’s approval was primarily based on clinical trials showing that test subjects who received sibutramine, the most potent ingredient in Meridia, lost approximately more than 5 percent of their body weight than test subjects who relied on exercise and diet alone. But as a post-market requirement, an initiative study on the drug was conducted after its approval for release in the European market.  The result of the post-market study prompted the FDA to request Abbott Laboratories, the manufacturing company, to withdraw the drug after the tests showed a 16 percent higher risk of serious cardiovascular diseases compared to the control subjects. There was also minimal weight loss difference between the two groups.

The results of the European study which was also referred to as the Sibutramine Cardiovascular Outcomes Trial varied to that of the study used by FDA for Meridia’s approval. But the data from different studies on the drug’s effects to cardiovascular health gives rise to questions regarding the drug’s safety.

Side Effects of Weight-Loss Products

Most people will rely on diet pills to either lose weight, to prevent the accumulation of fat and to maintain their body weight. The market is too flooded with weight loss products that it’s hard to decide on which product to invest in. People end up buying diet pills that does not only fail to meet their expectations but which also gives them discomforts and even heightens their risk of developing serious health conditions like cardiovascular disease.

The most common side effects are gastrointestinal in nature – especially brought about by the use of pharmaceutical drugs that inhibit fat buildup in the body by stimulating fat metabolism. People taking diet pills will often report an upset stomach, oily spotting and discharge, fecal urgency, flatus with discharge, fecal incontinence and increased defecation. Though these issues of inconvenience are often bearable, knowing that there are far more effective natural ways of losing weight makes taking diet pills not recommendable.

People with serious cases of obesity are the common market for weight loss drugs. The health hazards of having more stored fat than what the body needs have been linked by different medical studies to many serious health conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and even cancer. This fact gives emphasis to the importance of maintaining a healthy body mass index. It is true that obesity is hard to battle and the process of losing so much weight may take time, and even money for some methods. People resort to pharmaceutical weight-loss drugs with the prescription of a physician in order to help them lose weight. But increasing health threats of some diet pills like its effect on a person’s cardiovascular health suggest a new perspective in looking for an effective weight loss plan. There is no safer and more effective way of losing weight than by following a restricted but healthy diet scheme and by increasing physical activities.

A Healthy Plan for Weight Loss

Diet pills are not synonymous to “magic”.  Losing weight takes time and effort, and it is unrealistic to expect weight loss in a snap of a finger.  Some people may attest to the effectiveness of a certain diet pill, but at what cost? Losing weight fast is never an option, especially when one is placed at a higher risk for developing heart diseases.  It is really not a good bargain.

The key to losing weight safely is through natural methods.  Get help, create a plan with a medical professional, and stick to it.  No shortcuts.  Here’s a healthy plan for a healthy weight loss:

Information is Key

Medical experts agree that most cases of obesity are caused by the excessive intake of calories without reciprocating it with sufficient physical activities. This simply means that food intake needs to be limited to how much food the body needs. Excess calories are stored in body as fat, making the body gain more weight than what is considered healthy. The first approach in creating an effective weight loss plan is by understanding the body's appropriate calorie and nutritional needs.

Seek Expert Advice

Any diet plan needs to have the approval of a medical expert. A person's calorie and nutritional needs may be different from another. And one of the most important parts in fighting obesity is to restrict calorie intake without totally depriving the body of its much needs nutrients and energy requirements. The body still needs to be supplied with sufficient nutrients and enough calories to avoid health complications while aiming to lose weight. Remember that the goal is to be healthy in the truest sense of the word and not just lose the unwanted pounds.

Do it Gradually

A drastic change in calorie intake can be harmful to the body and this may lead to serious health problem; a simple example of which is the ulceration of the digestive tract. The body needs to learn to adapt to change. Work with a reasonable time line and gradually bring down your daily calorie intake while maintaining a sufficient supply of nutrients for the body at the same time. For every step of the way, you will always need the assistance of your physician to help you understand how to do this better.

Personalize Your Diet

The main reason why diet plans don't work for everyone is that people have different preferences for food. This is why people tend to cheat away from their diet plan -- they don't like the taste of the food they are recommended to take on a daily basis. But all you really need to know are the calorie content and nutritional value of the food that you are going to eat. You can choose a group that fits your taste and satisfy your weight-loss diet needs and spread it across your time line. This way you won’t be forced to eat the things you don't like eating.

Having a weight-loss diet plan that features the foods you love eating can make this easier. This makes it seem impossible but there will always be something on your preferred menu that contains just the right amount of calories but with most of the nutrients you need. You can talk to your physician to know what these are.

Choose Your Preferred Physical Activities

To promote a healthy body, maintain equilibrium and improve the efficacy of your diet plan, involve yourself in physical activities that make you burn all the excessive calories and stored fat. This part also needs to be taken gradually. You will also need the expert advice of your physician or an exercise physiologist to help you determine which kind of activity suits you best, how frequent you need to it, and how to do it properly. You can always find someone from a trusted gym to give you an exercise plan with the right frequency and intensity. And remember that all you need to do is make the right body movements and burn the right amount of calories. There are no restrictions as to which activity you can involve yourself into as long as you satisfy the two criteria.

Motivation and Dedication

Going fully natural on fighting obesity is the safest but this may also seem to be the hardest way of losing weight, especially when you are hoping to lose weight fast. But keeping your eyes on the goal and fighting every craving for useless calories will help you realize your dream of a fit and healthy body.

Sources
news.yahoo.com
msnbc.msn.com
helpguide.org
eurodiabesity.org