Diet pills and teenagers

 

Teenagers should be aware of the dangers of diet pills and should not take them

In 1992, the FDA banned 111 ingredients in over-the-counter (OTC) diet products-including amino acids, cellulose, and grapefruit extract-after manufacturers were unable to prove that they worked.

A number of products (Cal-Ban 3000, Cal-Lite 1000, Cal-Trim 5000, Perma Slim, Bodi Trim, Dictol 7 Plus, Medi Thin, Nature's Way, and East Indian Guar Gum) were also recalled because they posed serious health risks. The products contained guar gum, which supposedly swelled in the stomach to provide a feeling of fullness. However, the swelling from the guar gum caused blockages in the throat and stomach.

In February 1996, FDA also proposed new warning labels for OTC diet pills containing phenylpropanolamine (PPA), including the statement that the product is "For use by people 18 years of age and older."

PPA is an ingredient found not only in many OTC diet pills but also in cough-cold and allergy products as well. FDA is concerned PPA may possibly increase the risk of a type of stroke (hemorrhagic) caused by bleeding into the brain, as was suggested by some reports of bleeding in the brain among PPA users, typically young women. This possible risk could be further increased if a person took more than the recommended dose of PPA, which might occur inadvertently from also taking a cough-cold product with PPA.

While FDA agrees that studies have not shown a definite link between PPA and stroke, the agency believes data from a more comprehensive study are needed to confirm the ingredient's safety. As a result, the OTC drug industry began a five-year study in 1994.

Michael Weintraub, M.D, director of FDA's Office of Drug Evaluation V, says, "PPA diet pills are not recommended for use by teenagers also because they are still growing and if they suppress their appetite, they may not get proper nutrition." The dangers of diet pills are too high for teenagers. The author of studies on PPA published in scientific journals, Weintraub adds, "This is especially true of teenagers who don't need to lose weight but think that they do."

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