Recently, there was a car accident caused by side effects of weight loss supplements. 

On February 28th, the aggressive driving of a Korean woman who had been taking an appetite suppressant drug caused a six-car pileup. 

Experts attributed her aggressive behavior to  an ingredient in the appetite suppressant drug. 

The woman also claimed that she hallucinated after she took the appetite suppressant drug. 

Why are people taking weight loss supplements? 

Extreme beauty standards are a well-known feature of Korean culture, with thinness being part of that standard.

So it is no surprise that many Koreans are interested in losing weight. 

This strong demand has led to the introduction of many weight loss methods such as single-food diets, intermittent fasting, and medicine. 

One of the most popular methods is using different types of supplements–usually prescription drugs or herbal formulas.

However, these medicines can cause side effects, and users need to regulate their intake.

Side effects from weight loss supplements can be severe. 

What do consumers need to know to make smart decisions on using weight loss supplements?

The most common appetite suppressant drugs are phentermine, phendimetrazine, and amfepramone. 

Weight loss pills that include these ingredients manipulate signals to the brain to make the user feel less hungry and excite the central nervous system to make the heart beat faster, strengthening the appetite suppressant effect. 

However, these drugs can cause dependency, increased drug tolerance, and physical and mental side effects. 

Common side effects include dry mouth that persists even after drinking water, difficulty sleeping, dizziness, palpitations, anxiety, and nervousness. 

In addition, with long term usage, these drugs can cause depression, personality changes, dependence, and high blood pressure in the lungs.

Although consumers can easily obtain weight loss pills, experts classify them as dangerous drugs. 

When first introduced, weight loss pills were only prescribed to obese patients—individuals with a body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or more.  

Pharmacist Jong-un Kim says “people should never take more than two types of appetite suppressants together because there is a risk of side effects, and measures such as reducing pills are absolutely necessary.” 

In addition to prescription weight loss pills, herbal supplements for weight loss are popular in Korea. 

These supplements claim to facilitate weight loss and normalize the body’s weight regulation. 

No prescription is needed to access herbal weight loss supplements. 

That easy access, however, does not mean that these substances are inherently safe. 

Noted side effects of the most common weight loss supplements include palpitations, hand tremors, insomnia, heartburn, and dizziness.

It is not only the supplements themselves that are problematic—the advertising associated with them is also rife with issues. 

Many advertisements claim users of herbal supplements lose a lot of weight in a short period of time. 

These advertisements may exaggerate the actual effects of the drug, and they generally discount differences between individuals. 

People should carefully consider the possible side effects of using these drugs and supplements. 

Many people rely on medicine without ever attempting the basic weight loss methods of diet and exercise. 

If users don’t change their exercise and diet, they inevitably experience a yo-yo phenomenon—gaining back more weight than they lost once they stop taking the supplement. 

People need to focus on improving their eating habits first, to see if they can meet their goals without the risk of side effects, and only seek drugs or herbal supplements to amplify the effects of healthy dieting and exercise.

Users should immediately stop taking weight loss pills if they start to experience side effects.

Hakyung Song 
Grade 11
Branksome Hall Asia