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Safe, non-surgical ways to lose weight fast are the holy grail of the beauty and fitness industry. That’s why so many companies have released products that claim to make it possible for you to drop the pounds just by popping a pill and exercising a little. In fact, over the last two decades, this trend has translated into a multibillion dollar market just in the U.S.

This comes with serious issues. So many of over-the-counter diet drugs on the market either are ineffective or just plain don’t work. And to make matters worse, there have been numerous scandals surrounding certain diet drugs, such as fen-phen and Ephedra, that have dangerous side effects and have had to be removed from the market. So, what are the safest diet pills? Are there any that have a high rate of effectiveness without causing potentially unsafe side effects?

Prescription vs. Over-the-Counter

The good news is that there are some diet pills that have been proven effective in helping people lose weight. The bad news is that the most effective pills are only available through prescription. So, if you want access to the most effective and safest diet pills, you have to convince your doctor that you really need them. Of course, if you’re overweight or obese, and your body has resisted numerous attempts at weight loss, then you’re the perfect candidate. But most doctors and dieticians will have you try numerous diet and exercise plans before resorting to a prescription.

When it comes to over-the-counter diet pills, it’s a good idea to do your research ahead of time. Don’t buy a bottle of pills just because the packaging makes bold claims, like “Lose 30 Pounds in 30 Days!” In fact, a good rule of thumb is that the bolder and more outrageous the claims, the less effective and more unsafe the drug is likely to be.

The reality is that the safest diet pills won’t help you lose weight extremely fast, and they won’t be effective on their own. The best kinds are merely helpful supplements to aid your body in shedding the pounds a little more efficiently through healthy diet and exercise.

Safest Diet Pill Ingredients

In the end, your best bet is to go with proven diet pill ingredients whose effects are not too strong. Anything that resembles Ephedra is not good. In fact, many drugs that claim to be “Ephedra free” use alternative ingredients that are nothing more than Ephedra replacements that have all the same potential negative side effects, including high blood pressure, heart problems, seizures, and sleeplessness A few of the most common Ephedra substitutes are bitter orange, country mallow (a.k.a. heartleaf), and synephrine.

In the end, the safest diet pills are most likely to be in the “herbal” category, but be warned: Not all products that claim to be herbal are effective. Try supplements that contain green tea extract, guar gum, hoodia, and chromium, all of which are supposed to help reduce body fat without unsafe side effects. However, the effects differ for everyone, so you may have to try a few products before you find the one that works best for you.