This prescription diet pill Meridia (with a scientific name sibutramine hydrochloride monohydrate) treats obesity by increasing satiety -- or the feeling of being full.This orally-administered drug is typically recommended to be used in combination with a healthy diet and exercise routine to treat excess weight that may be related to diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure.

As for its effectiveness? The jury is still out. According to Fred Vagnini, M.D., medical director of the Heart, Diabetes and Weight Loss Centers of New York and author of "The Weight Loss Plan for Beating Diabetes," Meridia is not as effective as one might originally think.

According to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2005, participants who received sibutramine and lifestyle modification lost more weight than taking the drug alone or doing behavior modification on its own. All subjects were prescribed a 1,200 to 1,500-calorie diet and the same exercise regime.

"Studies have not shown a real dramatic long-term weight loss with Meridia," Vagnini said. "I don't think it's that effective and it affects blood pressure."

For instance, Dr. Vagnini previously prescribed sibutramine in his practice for weight loss and mentions it was "not successful" in terms of weight loss. Furthermore, as shown in studies and indicated by the drug's manufacturer, sibutramine has been known to increase blood pressure and/or pulse rate in some patients. In placebo-controlled obesity studies, 5 to 20 mg daily dosages were associated with increases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

According to the drug manufacturer, side effects from taking Meridia include increased blood pressure, dry mouth, upset stomach, constipation, nausea, memory loss and dizziness.

At That's Fit, we're committed to helping you get healthy, live well and be strong through healthy lifestyle choices including healthy diets and enough exercise.

Whether you have five pounds to lose or 50, your first inclination may be to pop a diet pill. And if so, what should you truly know about diet pills? First: there is no substitute for hard work and dedication. Eat healthy food and exercise more. That's the formula, plain and simple.

If you still want to reach for that fabled pill, listen up: not all pills are created equally. Even among the best diet pills, there is variation. There are calorie burners like Ephedra which was taken off the market because it was too dangerous. Then there's appetite suppressants such as Citrimax which is sold at health food stores. There are also absorption blockers which typically contain white kidney beans or soybeans to block carbohydrates from being absorbed by the intestines.

According to the Mayo Clinic, there are several ingredients that may help with dieting like hoodia which decreases one's appetite or diet pills containing guar gum. The issue is the result: There is no conclusive evidence to support the weight-loss claim with hoodia. Although guar gum blocks the absorption of dietary fat and increases the feeling of fullness, negative side effects may include intestinal obstruction and diarrhea.

In the end, despite the plethora of diet pills on the market -- and companies' claims that they produce the best diet pills -- nothing can be more effective than eating balanced meals and snacks, drinking water and exercising frequently.

If you want to lose weight, That's Fit has healthy and sensible Diet and Weight Loss information for you.

Two Day Diet pills are a weight-loss supplement that claim to be "all-natural," offering users the chance to lose up to 15 pounds in one month. Also known as the Two Day Diet Japan Lingzhi Slimming capsules, these diet pills contain a number of foreign-sounding ingredients such as ebony, Lingzhi, sibutramine, fox nut, seman pruni, dioscoreae and tuckahoe.

Those using Two Day Diet pills are instructed to swallow one or two capsules before breakfast and are advised to drink plenty of water. The supplements are recommended to be used with a balanced eating and exercise plan.

According to the manufacturers, Two Day Diet pills can do several things: Speed up your metabolism, prevent your body from digesting fat, suppress your appetite, boost your energy and expel toxins and waste from your body. However, according to Keri M. Gans, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, "there is no scientific research to support the claims."

Reviews of the product are quite often negative, and Gans adds "I recommend healthy eating, not another fad diet with false hope."

Minor side effects listed for the product include dizziness, diarrhea and thirst. Several major complications have also been linked to the product, including stroke and heart attack.

A 30-day supply of 2 Day Diet pills can be purchased for approximately $30 and are available through a variety of online retailers.

Chromium, also called Chromium Picolinate, is a weight-loss supplement. Chromium is a naturally occurring mineral found in meat, poultry, fish and whole grains, and when combined with picolinic acid, has anecdotally been believed to help weight loss by helping in reducing body fat and increasing lean muscle. Chromium picolinate has also been linked to having positive effect on how the body processes glucose and been rumored to manage type 2 diabetes.

But while it's mostly agreed that chromium picolinate weight-loss supplements aren't generally harmful, they're not thought to carry much benefit either -- i.e. they probably won't help you lose any pounds.

According to Health Service at Columbia University, there is no evidence to prove that chromium affects weight loss.

Hank Lukaski, Research Leader at the US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center insists, "Chromium picolinate has no effect on building muscle, reducing body fat, changing body composition, decreasing weight or increasing strength."

Officials at Harvard Medical School advocate natural chromium consumption through a healthy diet rich in whole grains, nuts, broccoli and green beans, which contain the mineral, but do not recommend chromium supplements without a doctor's consent.

What's more, Science Daily reports that there may be an increased cancer risk to those who regularly took the chromium.

Chromium picolinate supplements are taken on a daily basis before working out. Alternatively, pure chromium supplements can be ingested. Chromium and chromium picolinate supplements are available through various online dealers for approximately $10 for 250 tablets.

Trying to lose weight? AOL Health reviewed these natural weight loss aids and their claims -- to see which work and how effective they really are.

Ephedrine is an alkaloid, or chemical compound, found in the plant ephedra and is traditionally used in Chinese medicine and some over-the-counter and prescription medications. More recently, it has been marketed as a diet pill.

Ephedra-containing products stimulate the central nervous system and often include additional stimulants, such as caffeine, to promote weight loss. According to the Food and Drug Administration, ephedra has been found in weight-loss supplements and products to increase energy levels and athletic performance. Some variations of ephedra have even been sold as alternatives to illegal drugs.

The use of ephedrine has been controversial because of side effects such as high blood pressure, rapid heart rate, nerve damage, muscle injury, psychosis and memory loss. More serious results have also been reported, including heart attack, stroke, seizure and death. Because ephedrine and supplements containing it have been linked to unreasonable risk of illness or injury, according to the Mayo Clinic, ephedrine is currently banned in the U.S.

To learn about other potentially dangerous weight-loss drugs, take a look at our list of dangerous diet pills.

Photo: Joe Cohen, WireImage

In the past we've delivered you experts' crash diets, this week AOL Health takes a look at celebrity quick fixes for weight loss, reviewing what pills and supplements they've tried -- and which, if any, are safe. Among the famous pill-poppers and their weight-loss aid of choice, are the Kardashian sisters (who we've told you all about on That's Fit) and QuickTrim, Wynonna and alli, and more.

Would you ever consider a weight-loss drug? Does FDA approval matter to you? Tell us what you think in a comment below.

Diet pills do work. But they've gotten more dangerous than effective over the years, and experts warn that there's no miracle potion out there that can shrink you back into your college jeans without compromising your health. Diet and exercise -- now, these are two formulas that work. Still, we're on a hunt for the perfect skinny pill.

Redbook magazine digs up the scoop on five popular diet drugs and offers a rundown on them all right here. There's Alli (orlistat), Meridia (sibutramine), Zimulti (rimonabant), Glucophage (metformin), and Byetta (exenatide). If you think blocking the digestion of fat calories is the way to go, Alli might be your drug. But if you eat too much fat, you'll need to be prepared for loose, oily stools. Maybe you'd like to just feel full faster. Then Meridia is tops. Well, if you don't mind high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. Shutting off your appetite is another possible fix, thanks to Zimulti, which might just happen to turn on a little anxiety and depression.

You get my drift, right? Yes, weight-loss drugs work. Their effectiveness just comes with a cost-- one I'm not wiling to pay. How about you?

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Have you had it up to here with all the magazine diets and infomercial diets? With the holiday season reaching its peak, more dieting nonsense than ever is coming out of the woodwork. This is probably due to all the excess eating many of us are doing and with New Year's resolutions coming right up.

But which of these work and which don't? That's impossible to answer, as all these diets -- no matter how zany -- will always have a success story behind it.

Top-of-the-mill candidates of recent years carry names like Weight Watchers, South Beach Diet and Atkin's. These aren't fad diets really, and they all work (according to all the people I've spoken with who are using each method to lose -- and maintain -- a lower weight).

Want some others to consider, though? Try these on for size after doing some research on each one to see which of them caters to your style and personality. Who knows -- maybe one will work for you in the long term. But, I doubt it will be in pill form or working "while you sleep."

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How much does it cost you to lose a pound? If you're anything like an average woman, it could cost you $1660. A recent study showed that of a study of 2000 young women, this was the average amount spent on each pound of weight loss, on items like weight-loss programs, DVDs, gym memberships, equipment and specialty foods. Over a lifetime, most spent over $300,000. Yikes!

That's not all -- there are even more alarming statistics. For example:

• 90% of women surveyed have gone a full day without food. 30% have gone two or more days without food.
  
• Half of the women questioned said that losing weight meant eating less than 1000 calories a day.
  
• 30% have taken diet pills
• 30% have made themselves throw up
• 11% have taken speed or cocaine to rev their metabolism.
  

Good lord. These are some alarming result, don't you think?

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A recent study indicated that many diet drugs end up having serious side effects while resulting in very little long-term effectiveness for weight loss.

Surprised? Why many people believe a pill can lead to meaningful weight loss is still lost on me, and this recent research seems to support that.

In the study, men and women weighing about 220 pounds lost less than 11 pounds on average after taking diet drugs designed for long-term weight loss. I supposed these drugs could be marketed as moving customers from obese status to overweight status.

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From the I can't believe I'm writing this department: Here's an update on Slentrol. You probably already read Jonathan's post on the news, in January, of the FDA's approval of the drug; it's a weight loss pill for dogs. Yes, you read it right. It is, in fact, a weight loss pill for your precious pooch!

And shockingly, it seems that (even with a backlash) Americans who are too busy or too lazy to walk their dogs are actually turning to the new, experimental drug (which was released in June 2007) to help Fido lose the unwanted pounds.

Generally speaking, if your dog is overweight it's not usually from lack of exercise, but more from the food that he eats. And, evidently you've forgotten that your dog can't open the refrigerator or open a box of biscuits. In fact, your dog can only eat what you feed him, and when you feed him. So sadly (and more importantly) you're dog doesn't have a problem... you do! And, if we can't keep our animals from overeating how can we possibly hope to prevent ourselves from overeating?

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The first few paragraphs of this recent article in The New York Times are interesting, and after that it gets really scary. The interesting part has to do with how science is discovering that seemingly minuscule environmental and physical issues can have permanent affects on infants, some good and some bad. Like did you know that the temperature of your home can affect how many sweat glands your baby develops? And appetite and metabolism are affected in similar ways by how and what the baby is exposed to in terms of hormones and nutrients?

So here's the scary part: Having discovered that things can be changed and manipulated like this, scientists are working on creating an "anti-obesity baby formula." The idea is that a baby's eating habits, metabolism, and propensity to gain weight could be modified in the developmental stages, thereby creating an adult who could essentially eat whatever they wanted and not end up overweight.

Wow, seriously? This is taking things too far people -- get a grip.

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Celebrities are under pressure to be super-thin for movie roles, appearances and more. They try some pretty crazy weight-loss gimmicks to lose weight, while all seem either unhealthy, unnatural or downright uncomfortable. AOL Body has put together this list of the wackiest diet ideas:

• Martha's Vineyard Diet
• Cabbage Soup Diet
• The Lemonade Diet
  
• Blood Type Diet
  
• Facial Analysis Diet: Your diet is determined by an analysis of your skin
• Grapefruit Diet: This involves eating half a grapefruit before every meal
  
• Fat Flush Diet: This mostly-water diet should be called the water-flush diet -- that's all it does
• Coconut Diet: Based on the belief that coconut boost metabolism, you eat a lot of coconut on this plan.
  
• Cardio-free diet
• Any diet using diet pills

Come on, fess up -- have you tried any of these? Most of us have

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Are you better off taking an FDA-approved weight loss drug when you need to lose weight, or taking an ordinary nutritional supplement? That is a question that has been around for quite some time, and it seems to never go away.

Diet drugs are relatively new to the U.S. in terms of FDA approval. In fact, Alli was the first, and it just came out this year. What isn't said regularly in the mainstream media is that there are natural products that are also effective regarding weight loss. One of them, ephedra, is still taken by millions every day, but was banned in the U.S. I wonder venture as to why -- you can do that.

But, would you rather trust a pharmaceutical drug or a natural product to help you with your weight loss? Researching the details behind each one and coming to an informed decision (imagine that) is the wisest course of action. What will you do when you're presented with the decision to lose weight?

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There are so many "diet" pills these days that it's hard not to look at one of them and consider it even close to legitimate. After all, diet pill marketers hone in on the need of customers to try and lose weight (and failing) consistently. And there you have it -- a billion-dollar scam business.

Although there are some pills that do actually work (according to customers), are any of them worth the bottle they ship in? The various over-the-counter and prescription diet pills are plentiful, and current faves like hoodia gordonii and even the newer Alli are being marketed furiously at the current time.

The Diet Channel takes a hard look at the various types of diet pills in this expose, which I found to be very interesting. Read it here -- and then reconsider whether that next sales pitch is really worth it.

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