The seemingly quick fix that Slimming or weight loss pills make it more appealing to those who have weight problems.

Recently, questions are being raised about the safety and effectiveness of herbal remedies, including herbal diet pills. Dr Damien Downing, medical director for the Alliance for Natural Health urges users to consult medical help before using them as some contain stimulants or appetite suppressants. These substances work on hormone producing organs such as thyroid and hypothalamus.

Some herbal pills prescribed to help patients feel better are found to contain fenfluramine hydrochloride, a potentially fatal chemical which causes constriction of arteries, high blood pressure and fatigue. In 2005, Chinese herbalist Anna Yang, was fined £30,000 after prescribing herbal pills containing this chemical.

The public has been conditioned to think that the word herbal automatically indicates that derived products are safe. There must be serious efforts to examine closely the ingredients found in these over-the-counter herbal diet pills.

One way to limit chances of falling victim to ineffective and harmful herbal diet pills is to avoid those available only on-line. There is no way one can establish their authenticity or if they comply with regulations. Millions are spent on diet pills annually and the market for these products continues to grow. Newer innovations have introduced herbal diet pills which promise weight reduction the” natural” way.