What is in diet pills?
Diet pills can be made up of a mixture of substances, but many contain DNP which is very dangerous and in fact illegal.
So I’ll be fine if it doesn’t have DNP in the ingredients?
Other names for DNP, which comes in a pill or powder form, include:
- Dinosan
- Dnoc
- Solfo Black
- Nitrophen
- Aldifen
- Chemox
What does DNP do?
Diet pills may promise to give you rapid weight loss, but the way in which DNP works isn’t healthy and can seriously harm your body as it speeds up your metabolism too much. Plus, there is no guarantee that they will help your long-term weight or fitness.
Remember, the best way to keep yourself looking and feeling healthy is by eating well and exercising regularly.
What are the side effects of diet pills?
Diet pills which contain DNP have been linked to three deaths, and can have numerous dangerous side effects, including:
- restlessness
- flushed skin
- yellow skin
- headaches
- having an unusually fast heartbeat
- breathing too fast
- dizziness
- sweating a lot
- feeling very thirsty (dehydration)
- feeling sick (nausea)
- fever
- vomiting
Using DNP over a long period of time can lead to peeling skin, and may cause damage to the heart.
Are diet pills illegal?
Pills which contain DNP are illegal, sometimes these products are sold alongside legal weight loss drugs, making it very difficult to tell the difference.
Remember, even diet pills which don’t contain DNP can have nasty side effects for your body and aren’t an effective method for maintaining a long-term healthy weight and body.
Food Standards Scotland (FSS) are working with the police and local authorities to prevent DNP being sold illegally to the public, particularly online.
If you have any information about the illegal sale of DNP you can report it here.