Eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia nervosa and binge eating exist and require treatment from a professional eating disorder clinic. Estimates from The National Institute of Mental Health in the United States show that there are approximately 5-10 million people who suffer from eating disorders. It was also estimated that 15 percent of young women adopt unhealthy attitudes and behavior toward food during childhood and early adolescence.

Eating disorders are a result of various factors that include appetite, food availability, family and peer pressure as well as cultural practices. Generally, anorexia and bulimia comes as a result of an unhealthy attitude toward food and several weight loss methods that are most likely to be endangering the health of the individual.

Perhaps the most common practice among anorexic and bulimic individuals is the use of dieting pills and laxatives that are out in the market today. Many people believe that these pills are more effective and easy to use instead of healthy eating habits and regular exercise.

Among the medications or pills used nowadays are prescription pills, ephedra, fen-phen, laxatives and artificial sweeteners. Activities such as smoking and purging are also known to help shed unwanted weight. Prescription pills include amphetamines, a medication that suppresses one’s appetite. Continued use of amphetamines can be habit-forming and can greatly reduce weight although they have very dangerous side effects including increased blood pressure, arrhythmia, sleeplessness, hallucinations and delusions.

Ephedra is a drug common among believers in herbal remedies and weight loss powders. When used under closed supervision of a health professional, ephedra is effective for marginal short-term weight loss. On the other hand, ephedra also causes severe skin reactions, irritability, nervousness, dizziness, trembling, headache, insomnia, profuse perspiration, dehydration, itchy scalp and skin, vomiting, hyperthermia, irregular heartbeat, seizures, heart attack, stroke, or death.

Fen-phen, derived from Phentermine Fenfluramine-phentermine, is an anti-obesity medication that used to be very famous in the U.S. market. The use of this drug results to headaches, dizziness, heart arrhythmia, high blood pressure and insomnia. Laxatives are medications used to induce bowel movement and rid the body of excess food and water. This type of drug is usually administered in cases of constipation. Regular use of laxatives causes depletion of potassium in the body, arrhythmia, and pancreatic damage.

Furosemides and thiazides are diuretics commonly used by persons suffering from bulimia in an effort to loss weight. Diuretics are actually medications used to combat heart failure, liver cirrhosis, hypertension and certain kidney diseases. However, addiction to this medication puts one self at risk of dehydration or serious electrolyte imbalance, which may result in kidney or heart failure. Men and women should remember that a desirable weight should not compromise their health and total wellbeing.