Herbal Phen-fen :: Pills Phen-fen Health Weight Loss Essays

Herbal Phen-fen "Lose All the Weight You Want", "Look Sexy and Feel Great", "Use the Safer Alternative", claim advertisements promoting the use of a recently-created dietary supplement known as herbal phen fen (CompuGraph International ) Created after the original phen fen (phentermine fenfluramine) drug was recalled from the market as a result of serious side effects, including severe heart problems which proved fatal for some consumers, the new herbal phen fen was praised by creators for being "all natural" and lacking any harmful side effects. One who relies strictly on internet advertisements for information concerning herbal phen fen, however, may be seriously misinformed and misled about the true nature of this herbal "cure-all" for weight problems. Articles from various journals and periodicals reveal a darker side of herbal phen fen, illustrating the possible harmful side effects of the pill and explaining the dangers of individual ingredients composing herbal phen fen. Claims of many advert isements for herbal phen fen drectly contradict medical research and scientific studies, raising questions about the effectiveness and safety of the new pill. Popular culture teaches people to search for immediate gratification and quick fix-all methods for every problem, thus fast-working pills appeal to those who don't want to spend months trying to lose weight by exercising and eating healthfully. Advertisers capitalize on this quality of public consumers by appealing to public demands for fast results. "Phen-'Nominal' Results Fast" states one ad on the internet, appropriately titled "Herbal Phen Fast", which boasts the pill's ability to "suppress the formation of fats". The ad, which was produced by the company HealthMatrix, Inc., portrays herbal phen fen as a quick, safe, easy and effective way to control hunger, reduce cravings and ultimately lose weight, yet avoids explaining the side effects of the pill by dismissing symptoms as "few and well-tolerated". The ad names and defines the two primary ingredients of herbal phen fen, St. John's Wort and Mahuang, explaining that the combination of these ingredients leads to weight loss. The ad is designed to appear scientific with the claim that the main ingredient of herbal phen fen, St. John's Wort, "prolongs the reuptake of serotonin in the brain", leading to feelings of personal satisfaction (HealthMatrix, Inc.) The ad provides no evidence, research or case studies for this claim or any other claims. Three quotations by consumers of the pill are included in the ad, but interestingly enough, though the consumers claim feeling "more energetic" and satisfied by smaller portions, none of the quotations actually mention weight loss.