Whether it is by watching television, listening to the radio or reading a magazine, everyone has seen or heard the advertisements for diet pills promising weight loss without any diet or exercise. Men, women and even celebrities tell stories about how the products worked for them and show pictures of the extreme weight loss made easy by a magic pill.

A majority of these diet pills are unregulated, untested and dangerous. Furthermore, if a celebrity is endorsing a product, that does not make it safe. It’s doubtful that Kim and Khloe Kardashian understand the science behind Quick Trim.

There are several weight loss pills that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration and available by prescription, but they have some alarming side effects. Although the idea of losing tons of weight by simply taking a pill is an enticing option, having an understanding of these products may change your mind.

Appetite suppressants

Appetite suppressants work by allowing more serotonin and norepinephrine to circulate through the blood stream, said Justine Karduck, health educator and dietitian at McKinley Health Center, in an e-mail interview. According to WebMD.com, these chemicals affect hunger and mood. The increase tricks the body into believing that it is full.

Meridia, an appetite suppressant approved by the FDA, is available by prescription only. The drug has many side effects including increased heart rate and blood pressure, Karduck said.

The effects of appetite suppressants are marginal because they’re not meant to be taken forever, said Rebecca Roach, food science and human nutrition teaching associate.

“Generally when you’re taking a diet pill, they suppress your appetite, but when you stop taking it, you go back to eating exactly the same way you did before,” Roach said.

Fat Burners

“There’s no such thing as a fat burner,” Roach said. “Exercise is a fat burner.”

Highly advertised diet pills like Hydroxycut that claim to be fat burners are unsafe. Hydroxycut works because of the active ingredient hydroxycitric acid, or HCA, Karduck said. HCA causes the liver to release glucose, which decreases the speed of carbohydrate break down, she said.

Though many pills claim to be fat burners, these pills are unregulated and unproven, said Manabu Nakamura, associate professor of nutrition. Most of them have little effect and contain dangerous ingredients, Nakamura said. Pills like Hydroxycut can cause serious side effects including liver damage, seizures and cardiovascular disease, Karduck said.

Fat binders

Fat binders may seem like a better solution because, unlike appetite suppressants, they do not affect the central nervous system or cardiovascular system, but these pills are not without their side effects, Karduck said.

Fat binders work to keep fat from being absorbed in your digestive system. Instead of digesting the fat, it is excreted, Roach said. Alli, an over-the-counter weight loss pill, blocks 25 percent of the fat consumed in each meal, Karduck said. If your diet is not low in fat, gastrointestinal side effects are worsened, she said.

“(The pills) cut down on some of the calories that you ingest, but some of the side effects are pretty nasty,” Roach said. “They kind of obliquely refer to it as anal leakage.”

Bottom line

These diet pills are recommended for adults who are considered obese and the only “safe” pills are available by prescription with few exceptions. In order for diet pills to work, a user must make some serious changes in nutritional and physical behavior, Roach said.

“As a dietitian, I look at weight loss as something that is a work in progress, something that involves lifestyle changes,” Roach said.

The bottom line is that there is no quick fix for weight loss. While some believe there is potential for a safe and successful diet pill in the future, at this point, it does not exist. The safest and most effective solution is making lasting habit changes, Roach said.

“Everybody wants the magic bullet, but there is no magic bullet,” Roach said. “There is no successful weight loss substance that is safe, and the only way to lose weight is to examine your habits, examine your health goals and make changes in your eating and activity patterns.”