About 36.5 percent of adults living in the United States are obese. Unfortunately, obesity rates continue to climb in most states, including Arizona.

Many people turn to diet supplements to drop excess pounds. At BodContour, we want our patients to understand how diet pills work and what dangers they pose. That way, more people can choose healthy ways to reach their weight loss goals.

- Vitamins and minerals.

- Herbs and herbal extracts.

- Amino acids.

- Complex proteins called enzymes.

Companies that make and sell dietary supplements don't have to follow many rules because the industry is largely unregulated. Some concerns include:

- A lack of oversight from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

- Federal laws that do not require companies to prove the safety of their products.

- Few laws that compel manufacturers and sellers to test the accuracy of their claims.

In an unregulated market, companies can sell potentially dangerous products that harm consumers. Even if the supplements don't hurt consumers, they may not do anything positive.

Weight loss supplements can work in a variety of ways. Manufacturers often claim that their weight loss supplements help people lose weight by"

- Curbing food cravings.

- Speeding up metabolisms.

- Slowing the body's fat production.

- Preventing the body from absorbing fat in food.

- Making stomachs feel full before people eat too much.

Consumers should keep in mind, though, that many of supplements simply do not work and have no scientific evidence showing that they can help people lose weight.

Many weight loss pills are dangerous because they contain substances that can contribute to health problems. For instance:

- Ephedra can cause strokes, heart attacks, irregular heartbeat and sudden death.

- Yohimbe can cause confusion, dizziness and irregular heartbeat.

- Guarana can cause high blood pressure, heart failure and elevated heartbeat.

- Caffeine can cause irregular heartbeat, headaches, anxiety and dehydration.

To make matters worse, the FDA admits that some weight products contain prescription drugs that can cause issues like heart problems and strokes. Even though the FDA currently restricts some ingredients, such as ephedra, weight loss supplements may still use them.

The healthiest way to lose weight involves getting plenty of exercise and eating a balanced diet. People who have specific areas where they cannot lose weight should consider using BodContour to target those areas. BodContour laser treatments are clinically proven to work, approved by the FDA and show immediate results. In other words, it avoids all of the problems that diet pills can cause.