Appetite Suppressants
Appetite suppressants are a variety of drugs and plant products are used to curb appetite.
In the past PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE (PPA) was used as an ingredient in many over-the-counter weight loss products, but following adverse reports of links to hemorrhagic stroke with these products, Yale University scientists discovered that PPA does increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke in women (and possibly men).
Consequently, the FDA recommended that consumers not use any products that contain PPA and ruled that PPA is not considered safe for nonprescription use.
As a result the FDA is in the process of removing PPA from all drug products and has requested that all drug companies discontinue marketing products containing PPA.
In addition, the FDA has issued a public health advisory concerning PPA
In response to the request made by the FDA in November 2000, many companies have voluntarily reformulated and are continuing to reformulate their products to exclude PPA.
Amphetamines (Dexedrine, Benadrine) are prescription drugs used to temporarily curb appetite, although appetite generally returns within two weeks.
Bulking agents are forms of plant fiber that swell in water, filling the stomach and creating satiety. PSYLLIUM, GUAR GUM, and GLUCOMANNAN fall into this category.
These bulking agents are often included in PROTEIN powders used in weight loss protocols to help satisfy hunger. Two appetite suppressants, fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine, were taken off the market by the FDA in 1997, when it was discovered that thousands of patients who took these drugs developed potentially deadly primary pulmonary hypertension and heart valve abnormalities.
Dexfenfluramine was shown to cause these injuries when taken alone, and fenfluramine was linked to valve problems in patients who combined it with the drug phentermine in a mixture popularly known as “fen-phen.”
Both fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine helped patients lose weight by increasing serotonin levels in the blood stream, which provided a sense of well-being and satiety.
The problem researchers discovered after the drugs were removed from the market was that the drugs destroyed the body’s ability to control the amount of serotonin circulating in the blood. Excessive amounts of serotonin can cause cell damage to cardiopulmonary structures.
