Natural Appetite Suppressants That Help You Lose Weight

Appetite suppressants, or diet pills, help you lose weight by controlling hunger or making you feel full. They can be useful for overweight people.

You can also buy over-the-counter diet pills. You will lose more weight if you combine diet pills with healthy lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise.

What are the types of appetite suppressants?

There are prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) appetite suppressants. A weight loss drug, orlistat (Alli®), works by blocking fat absorption (it is not an appetite suppressant).

Check with your doctor before using over-the-counter diet pills.

Some over-the-counter appetite suppressants may interact with medications or cause health problems.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved these prescribed appetite suppressants:

1. Diethylpropion (Tenuate dospan®).

2. Liraglutide (Saxenda®).

3. Naltrexone-bupropion (Contrave®).

4. Phendimetrazine (Prelu-2®).

5. Phentermine (Pro-Fast®).

6. Phentermine / topiramate (Qsymia®).

Prescribed appetite suppressants

Appetite suppressants are drugs designed to control hunger and, in turn, help you lose weight. The FDA has approved these drugs that you can only obtain with a prescription:

• Liraglutide (Saxenda). Take this as an injection. It was also marketed as a treatment for diabetes under the brand name Victoza. The drug decreases hunger by acting on a hormone in the intestine.

• Naltrexone (Contrave). It contains two medications and can affect the reward system in your brain, so eating certain foods that would normally make you feel good doesn't do it anymore. It also acts on the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates appetite, temperature and other functions.

• Phentermine (Qsymia). It is a combination of two drugs. Phentermine is a stimulant that makes you feel less hungry. Topiramate is a medicine used for seizures and headaches, but as part of a combination with phentermine, it can make you feel less hungry and more satiated.

There are some other options as well, such as phentermine, benzfetamine, diethylpropion and phendimetrazine, but they can only be used for up to 12 weeks.

You may have heard of another drug that the FDA has approved to treat obesity called orlistat (Alli), but it is not an appetite suppressant. It works by preventing your body from absorbing a portion of fat from the food you eat. The brand of the recipe version is called Xenical.

What are the risks of using appetite suppressants?

In rare cases, appetite suppressants cause liver damage. Call your doctor if you notice signs of liver disease, such as jaundice (yellow skin or eyes). The most common side effects include:

• Cold.

• Cough.

• Dizziness.

• Dry mouth or change in flavor.

• Fatigue.

• Headaches

• Increased blood pressure or heart rate.

• Nausea and vomiting

• Sleep problems or insomnia.

Foods that minimize appetite

1. Foods rich in protein and healthy fats. This includes lean meats, avocado, beans, nuts and cheese.

2. Foods rich in fiber. Fiber-rich foods make you feel full longer. Good examples are whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables.

3. Vegetables, like beans, lentils and chickpeas, can directly increase the feeling of satiety and can also reduce food intake later, according to a 2017 review.

4. Eggs are rich in protein and fat and can promote satiety and reduce hunger throughout the day.

5. Cayenne pepper can reduce appetite in people who are not used to spicy foods.

6. Honey can suppress the ghrelin hunger hormone, which makes people feel full longer. People should try to switch from sugar to honey.

The Bottom Line

Certain herbs and plants have been shown to promote weight loss.

They work by reducing appetite, increasing satiety levels, decreasing the emptying of the stomach, blocking the absorption of nutrients and influencing appetite hormones.

Soluble fibers such as fenugreek and glucomannan are great for delaying gastric emptying, increasing fullness and inhibiting energy intake.

Caralluma fimbriata, Griffonia simplicifolia and garcinia cambogia contain compounds that help increase serotonin levels in the brain, which increase satiety levels and decrease carbohydrate intake.

Meanwhile, yerba mate extract, coffee and green tea are rich in caffeine and compounds like EGCG, which reduce food intake, influence appetite hormones and stimulate metabolism.

Finally, CLA has been shown to increase fat burning and reduce appetite levels.