The US weight-loss supplement industry made $3.9 billion in sales last year. With this information The Diet Channel took a good, hard look at the safety and efficacy of diet pills, both over the counter and prescription.

Prescription weight loss pills are heavily regulated and over the counter are not. Some of the prescriptions meds reviewed include: fen-phen, Meridia, and Orlistat. Prescription meds are qualified by their ability to induce 10-20% weight loss in a year. However, both prescription and over-the-counter provisions state you must follow a healthy diet and exercise. To expect a change in your body without changing your lifestyle is nearly irrational.

Over the counter products tend to evade heavy regulation. However this lack of regulation comes at the cost of potentially harmful side effects. The article continues to mention other over the counter weight loss supplements including: green tea, caffeine, hoodia and alli. The billion dollar question is: if any of these pills truly worked, why is the obesity epidemic getting worse? Stay tuned for an upcoming article on the newest supplement alli. No, it wasn't named after me.

The FDA has approved a new over-the-counter weight loss drug called alli (orlistat) that is designed to absorb 25% of the fat from your meal. However, nutrition and fitness expert Dr. Len Lopez, author of "To Burn or Not to Burn, Fat is the Question" shares his reasons why the new approved weight loss drug may not be beneficial to your health.

New research is showing that medications don't make us healthier. Research is showing that losing weight with medications doesn't decrease the rate of heart attacks, strokes or diabetes. Add that to the fact that your body loses nutrients with these medications and you can easily see how these new weight loss drugs can hamper your health. Dr. Lopez discusses practical steps to losing weight which includes diet and exercise, but also covers how stress and adrenal fatigue can disrupt our hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline. These hormonal imbalances can throw off our metabolism and take us out of our fat burning mode.

Both of Dr.Lopez's books cover a good deal of information to understand how we can correct our imbalances in piecing together the weight loss puzzle. His knowledge explores the roles of insulin and cortisol in weight gain, cravings, fatigue and more. He also explains how stress can take you out of your fat burning zone and helps you regain your blood sugar balance, as well as implementing the "Five and Two" dieting plan.

Say NO to the weight loss drugs and say YES to the empowering knowledge Dr. Lopez has to share.