There are many types of weight loss pills, some being appetite suppressants, fat blocker, carbohydrate blockers and some others being thermogenics. We can try to understand each of these types better, to have a better understanding of these pills.

Appetite suppressants:

If hunger had not been a problem, then most people would not have gained weight to become obese. If we could avoid hunger and not eat when we felt hungry, we would have definitely lost weight by burning some calories. Can one suppress hunger? We gain weight when we consume things, which we know are not good for us, but the stomach and palette asks for.

There are two disorders which lead to excess accumulation of fat, these are – binge-eating disorder and night- eating syndrome. Binge eating is consumption of food after suppressing the want or need for a long time, and consumption without control in quantity.

Here is where the appetite suppressants come into the picture. When you know you are not hungry but you feel hungry and you can do without a meal, then taking one of these pills can reduce the risks of feeling hungry and hence make you lose weight.

Thermogenics:

The name thermogenics is given to those set of drugs which increase the metabolism of the body. Prior to 2004, Ephedrine rich drugs used to be used as fat burners which were detected by FDA to be harmful. Hence they were banned from 2004. After this, there is no lack in the number products which are Ephedrine free, along with a stimulant like caffeine, in the market. The main aim of these Thermogenic pills is to increase one’s metabolic rate, so that one burns more calories, even doing simple jobs or while sleeping.

Stimulant free Thermogenics:

To avoid stimulants like caffeine altogether, research brings us stimulant free fat burners, which may not make us lose weight faster than those with stimulants, but prevent those side effects caused by excessive use of stimulants.

Carbohydrate Blockers:

These drugs work by reducing the absorption of carbohydrates into the body thereby reducing the accumulation of fats in the body. These drugs help in achieving loss of substantial amount of weight in short period of time. Carb Blockers can be used along with a balanced diet and sufficient exercise.

Fat Blockers:

Fat blockers prevent the absorption of fats into the body. Chitosan, the most prevalent among them, combines with the fat in the food and makes it indigestible. This can be excreted from the body without being absorbed. Chances of loose motion are high so excess amounts of Chitosan are not recommended.

Thyroid regulators:

The thyroid hormone is responsible for increased metabolic rate of the body. The main components of these thyroid stimulating products are Guggulsterones and Forskolin. When these medications are used as a supplement along with a balanced diet, calorie burn is increased drastically.

Cortisol Blockers:

Stress or lack of sleep, can lead to accumulation of cortisols in the body, thereby leading to accumulation of excess fat.  The cortisol blockers prevent excess cortisol in the body thereby preventing excess fat.