Herbal diet pills, or non-prescription diet pills, have really popped onto the weight loss scene within the last few years. Unlike prescription diets pills, which can only be obtained from your GP, herbal diet pills are freely available to buy online or over the counter. Walk into any chemist or big supermarket and there will be a section devoted to slimming tablets, diet pills, weight loss supplements or whatever else you want to call them. On the internet there are well over 400 different slimming pills. Whether we like it not, herbal weight loss supplements have made their way into mainstream society and the number of people using them is on the rise.
But the big question is, are herbal diet pills safe and effective? The answer to this question is yes and no. Yes, because a small percentage of slimming tablets are safe and effective. No, because around 90% of slimming tablets available are not effective and within that 90% around 20% are dangerous.
\"Herbal Diet Pills\"
So in total that leaves us with around 70% of diet pills being ineffective, 20% being dangerous and only 10% being safe and effective.
The question probably on your lips now is "why is it that so many ineffective and dangerous slimming tablets are freely available to buy online?" The answer is a simple but infuriating one; unlike prescription diet pills that are governed by strict rules and regulations, the herbal diet pill industry has no governing body to monitor and regulate the production of diet pills. What this means is that quite literally anybody can go and make a herbal weight loss supplement and sell it.
Over the years, there have been many reported cases of people experiencing very bad side-effects after taking herbal weight loss supplements, and this is because there have been a few cases in which diet pills have been homemade in the garage or garden shed, by amateurs wanting to make a quick buck out of the diet pill craze. These diet supplements have often contained nothing more than fillers such as sawdust, or other bulking agents than have led to adverse side-effects. However, these cases are very rare.
The vast majority of slimming tablets, the 70% that fall into the ineffective category, are made by companies wishing to cash in on the diet pill market which is worth over a billion worldwide. The lack of rules and regulations enables these companies to get away with filling their tablets with cheap ingredients that either don't work or are not used in high enough amounts to have any effect. The companies are then allowed to lie and claim that their diet pill contains the best weight loss ingredients.
So how can you distinguish between the safe and effective diet pills and the ineffective and sometimes dangerous scam diet pills? The three most important features to look out for are certifications, medical backing and clinical trials.
Certifications come mainly in the form of Certificates of Analysis which prove that a weight loss supplement contains the ingredients that it claims to have. Medical backing means that respected doctors and health experts has analysed the weight loss supplement and believe that it is safe to use. They also believe that it is effective for weight loss when used in conjunction with exercise and a healthy diet. Clinical trials mean that a slimming tablet has undergone scientific and clinical testing and that there is evidence to support its claim for aiding weight loss.
Another key feature to look out for is where the diet pill is manufactured. The majority of diet pills are produced in Asia, where there the rules governing the production of weight loss supplements are very lax. Diet pills that are made in the US are subject to some laws and regulations. However, slimming tablets made in the UK or within the EU are governed by quite strict laws on safety and efficacy.
To conclude, we come back to the question "are herbal diet pills safe and effective?" In a nutshell, the vast majority are ineffective, a few can be quite dangerous and only around 10% are safe and effective. In order to find that 10% make sure that a diet pill has certifications, medical backing, clinical trials and that it is produced in the US, the UK or the EU.
Are Herbal Diet Pills Safe and Effective?
Victoria is the author of http://www.dietpillsthatwork.co.uk – a comprehensive website that evaluates the diet pill industry. For more information about safe and effective diet pills and diet pills that work please visit my website.