As the obesity epidemic in America rages on, many people are looking for a solution besides diet and exercise, and pharmaceutical companies are looking to cash in. According to CBS News, the Food & Drug Administration may approve three new diet pills:  Qnexa, Contrave and Lorcaserin. Qnexa and Contrave are combinations of existing drugs, while Locaserin is completely new.

Ideally, the drugs will help people lose a significant amount of weight without dangerous side effects like those of fen-phen, the combination drug pulled off the market in 1997 due to links to heart valve damage and lung problems.

Qnexa and Contrave seem quite effective, but their side effects might outweigh their benefits. Qnexa showed the best weight loss results in clinical trials, with patients losing between 13 and 15 percent of their body weight. But it also had the highest rate of patient dropouts due to side effects – especially memory and concentration problems (!). Patients who took Contrave showed weight loss between 5 and 10 percent, but sometimes experienced nausea.

Lorcaserin is safer, but less effective. It works by regulating serotonin, the brain chemical that tells you you’re full. Patients in company trials only reduced their body weights by five percent – but reported the fewest side effects.

Would you ever take a weight loss drug like one of these? Sometimes diet and exercise seem like so much work, you need an extra push to keep you motivated. But altering the chemistry of your body is a big deal, and can be dangerous.

Photo: ABC News