There’s a new magic pill for weight loss that isn’t so magic.

 

If Pharmaceutical companies can figure out a way to beat gaining weight, I promise you it will happen and it will be HUGE. 

 

What’s the problem?

 

Until they do people will continue to try and create their own magic pill because who really wants to spend time in the gym, or break a sweat if you could take a pill and get the same results.  Despite the obvious answers I would give to you of the health benefits of being active, it is important to know that until something changes people will look for the easy way out.  

 

Take this little tidbit of information I just learned. 

Moms all over the country are stealing their children’s medications.

 

Why?

 

Because one of the side effects of the wonder pill for ADD (Adderall) is an appetite suppressant.

 

Are you kidding me?

 

A young adult is diagnosed with a disorder that makes it difficult to focus and pay attention.  They are prescribed a drug that will help them study more efficiently, stay on task and in some cases simply hold down an after school job and someone thinks it is more important to fit into the size 2 jeans?

 

Let’s get a little perspective.  According the article Posted on MSNBC http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26076014/

 

Adderall is a distant cousin to crystal meth.  Both drugs are amphetamines.  While meth is obviously a killer, Adderall is not.  The dosages are very different and so is the molecular structure.  But considering one might use both drugs in the same sentence wouldn’t one think twice before taking them for something other than its intended use.

 

The ADD drug is also rampant as a study aid on high school and college campuses today.  A pill, one pill, can sell for $5 to $25 dollars with effects lasting long enough to do a one night cram session. 

 

As a matter of fact there are some doctors prescribing Adderall to obese adolescents and teens.  His theory was that the side effects were a much less than the side effects of type II diabetes.  Now I am not going to say that this is necessarily a bad idea but shouldn’t we wait until there is a study?

 

Apparently there are also cases of the need for the speed effect becoming so strong that the teens and moms start to seek out stronger drugs.  Either they take more Adderall or they go to the street for illegal kicks.  Now how about those size 2 jeans? 

 

Well what about the expected side effects of taking the drug… Dry mouth, headaches, fast heartbeat, and trouble sleeping.  So now, you can’t sleep so the mom’s are taking sleeping pills. 

 

Great cocktail.

 

Here comes my favorite part… once you stop taking the drug, all the normal feelings come back.  You start to crave food because your appetite returns.  Now you begin to eat and gain back the weight. 

 

The article also states that in Canada the government took the drug off the market for a while because of sudden death. The agency found 20 sudden and heart-related deaths and strokes in adults and children taking prescribed doses since the introduction of Adderall in 1994.  Combine this with the fact that there are people out there taking this drug un-prescribed and without supervision.

 

Not good.

 

If you are a parent I suspect this is going on in high school as well so keep your eyes open. And if you are a parent who struggles with weight loss this is a bad idea.

 

Sorry for the preachy post today but really.  Stealing meds from a kid?

That’s ridiculous.