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Web Story With American obesity on the rise, diet pills are becoming very popular. There are many different kinds of diet pills, some which contain natural ingredients and others that contain chemicals. Dr. Richard Buza, 55, of Huntingdon is a doctor at Cold Springs Medical Center in Huntingdon, he said that if one of his patients was using diet pills he would tell them to stop. He said it really isn't worth it in the long-term and what the users are doing to their bodies is not natural. According to Buza, diet pills are designed to control weight but can cause high blood pressure, faster heart rate, insomnia, nausea and trembling. He said people with high blood pressure or a high heart rate should consult their physician before taking diet pills because it could result in death. Sue Barkman, 42, of Altoona is the athletic trainer at Penn State Altoona and said that many pills sold at the vitamin stores are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and people do not know that. She said prescription drugs and over-the-counter non-prescription drugs are regulated by the FDA and must be labeled so. On the back of diet pill packages, there is a warning that says, "These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA." "That's very scary when you think about it. Dietary pill sales result in billions of dollars of sales each year and it is a growing industry," said Barkman. "I guess it is easier to listen to a sales pitch or read an advertisement rather than find the facts." Mitch Edwards, 30, of Johnstown is a DJ and program director at Hot 92 and Hot 100 radio station in Altoona. Recently he has endorsed a diet supplement called Ultra 90. Ultra 90 is an all natural pill whose active ingredient is marine collagen, found in the sea. "I have been taking Ultra 90 since January 1 and have lost 30 pounds," said Edwards. "I take three capsules before bed and there is no special diet or exercise needed." Matt Barr, 31, of Altoona works at Natural Gains in Altoona. Natural Gains sells 17 different dietary pills, some of which are natural and others that contain chemicals. He said that when selling diet pills, they offer a paper that gives information on how to change the user's diet and exercise habits. "These are not a miracle pill, they are simply a crutch," said Barr. "If you don't change your eating habits and exercise daily, they will not work." Barr has tried two of the supplements sold in the store and he lost 20 pounds. He said that 90 percent of the weight he lost was from dieting and exercising. Although these supplements don't work for everyone, he has seen many successes. Kenny Parks, 27, of Tyrone has taken diet pills in the past. He took pills called Stacker 3 with ephedrine. He took two in the morning, one before lunch, then one around dinnertime. "After taking the pills I had a lot of energy and felt really motivated," said Parks. "I didn't exercise at all while taking the pills and it decreased my appetite. Sometimes I would forget to eat." Parks stopped taking the pills because they made him jittery and he experienced hand tremors. He said they soon were not available at Sheetz, where he had purchased them. Edwards said he would recommend Ultra 90 to anyone trying to lose weight. He said he has not experienced any negative side effects.
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