Common Diet Pill Side Effects and How to Handle Them

One of the things that keeps many people from trying a diet pill is the fear of dangerous side effects. There is a great variety of diet pills that work without causing adverse reactions, but the fear is well-founded as many do not.

The following is a list of a few diet pill side effects that are commonly observed and suggestions on how to avoid them.

1. Tremors, Jitters, and General Anxiousness

One of the most well-known side effects of diet pills is a general feeling of anxiousness, accompanied by tremors or the jitters. This is often due to the inclusion of ingredients like caffeine or synephrine, which stimulate the central nervous system and speed up natural processes in the body.

When this occurs, it can lead to increased fat burning and a higher metabolic rate, but it also causes your pulse to race and your body to shake. While this is generally benign, too much of a stimulant can eventually lead to severe complications.

Read: Are Weight Loss Supplements and Pills Safe After Pregnancy?

What to Do: Caffeine and other stimulants like green tea can be an important part of an effective diet pill but should be included in moderation. While 400mg of caffeine is needed to be effective, avoid diet pills that include more than 500 or 600mg of caffeine, as these can trigger muscle tremors and headache beyond the normal consequences.

2. Nausea and Upset Stomach

Abdominal pain and nausea are also linked to stimulants in diet pills, though it is more difficult to trace their origin. They, too, can be triggered by excess caffeine but are also caused by fat blockers that stop the absorption of fat into the body.

Caffeine leads to tremors and headaches, which can trigger stomach pains, while fat blockers work in the intestinal tract. Fat blockers are effective at stopping up to one-quarter of fat content from being stored as adipose tissue by flushing it as waste, but this can also cause bloating, diarrhea, and general discomfort.

What to Do: If you are prone to nausea, avoid products that contain potent stimulants like synephrine or bitter orange. Also, avoid fat blockers like guar gum and chitosan. Do look for ingredients like ginger root, which has been shown to mitigate some of the adverse side effects of nausea-inducing stimulants and fat blockers. Or you can try a fat burner like African mango, which doesn’t rely on stimulating the central nervous system and has been used successfully without side effects.

Read: How to Buy Effective Weight Loss Pills

3. Loss of Bowel Control

While we’re on the topic of fat blockers, let’s discuss some of their more well-known side effects. You may recall the weight loss supplement Alli, which is a diluted form of the fat blocker orlistat. This diet pill was all the rage when it first debuted because of its approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Still, it was soon discovered to cause embarrassing side effects like anal leakage, flatulence, and diarrhea.

This is because as fat blockers flush fat as waste, your body loses control of its bowels. It stimulates the intestinal tract to produce more waste, which results in runny bowel movements that move quickly through the digestive system.

What to Do: If you’re concerned about rectal side effects, avoid products that work only as a fat blocker. Look for more well-rounded diet pills that contain ingredients like fiber, which regulates the digestive system, and ginger root, which has been known to soothe an upset stomach and diminish the gastric effects of other ingredients.

4. Restlessness and Insomnia

Finally, some diet pills are known to interfere with your sleep cycle, which can lead to weight gain in the long run. Again, stimulants are the culprit. By triggering faster reactions in the body, your system is in overdrive, and it can be difficult to settle yourself back down again.

This leads to sleepless nights, which can activate hunger-controlling hormones that stimulate your appetite. Over time, this sets the stage for overeating and increased weight gain.

What to Do: If you are incredibly stimulant sensitive, you may want to look for diet pills that don’t include ingredients like caffeine, green tea, or bitter orange. Or, if you do, look for one that directs you to take it in the mornings or afternoons. Never take a stimulant-reliant pill before bedtime.

How to Pick the Right Pill

The best way to find the right diet pill for you is to assess your needs and personal constitution. If you react strongly to other medications, you may want to find a gentler diet pill that focuses on things like appetite suppression or includes non-stimulating ingredients.

You also want to be cautious of popular supplements whose credit relies on heavy marketing. Alli, as you now know, is associated with a wide array of side effects. Hydroxycut is another weight loss lineup that has been linked to quite a few side effects. Make sure to read more about Hydroxycut Advanced, their latest product, before assuming it is safe.

In general, research will be your greatest ally in the search for a proper diet pill. They do exist; you need to do a bit of work to find the right one for you.