The "Diet Pill" has an obvious appeal to anyone who wants to lose weight fast, and with very little effort. How marvelous life would be if we could just pop a pill and body fat just melted away. Everyone knows, or should know at least, that if something sounds too easy or just too good to be true, that's because it is.

Every scientist, doctor, dietician and fitness trainer will tell you that taking diet pills is downright dangerous, but is it? And if it is, then how dangerous is it?

Well, according to scientists, some diet pills can cause panic attacks, strokes and even fatal heart attacks. Some of these "drugs", better known as phentermine are closely related to mphetamines, so they work as an appetite suppressant, stimulating the release of brain chemicals, which in turn reduces the sensations of hunger.

An overdose can lead to hallucinations, seizures, severe headaches, blurred vision and vomiting. Is all this information a little unnerving? It should be. And there's more. Here are some other so-called miracle slimming cures, which come in the form of a convenient pill.

The Diet Pill

---Amfepramone. This drug is known as "diethylpropion" in the UK, and was a prescription appetite suppressant branded as Apisate or Tenuate banned by the European Medicine Approval Agency in 1999 because of safety concerns. It works by mimicking the effects of noradrenaline in the nervous system to suppress hunger.

---Phenylpropanolamine (PPA). PPA is a vasoconstrictor used in nasal congestants and cough medicines, it is not approved in the UK for the treatment of obesity. Still used to control urinary incontinence in dogs.

---Ritalin (Methylphenidate). Ritalin is approved for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and not for weight loss. Side-effects are increased heart rate and raised blood pressure, which can greatly stress the cardio-vascular system. A schedule 2 controlled drug, classed alongside amphetamines.

---Clenbuterol. Clenbuterol was originally developed as an asthma treatment, but also seems to increase metabolic rate and causes people to lose fat and gain muscle. It is banned by the International Olympic Committee because of its abuse by athletes and body builders. Clenbuterol is also used in a veterinary product to treat breathing problems in horses. After poisoning episodes linked to the consumption of meat containing Clenbuterol residues, its use is strictly controlled.

What's very alarming about all these drugs is that they can be easily purchased over the Internet from unscrupulous dealers based outside of the European Union.

Pills that can be legitimately purchased in the UK include the popular "Slim Bomb" Weight Loss Pills. The manufacturers claim that many years of extensive research have gone into this little blue pill and that the formula has undergone many rigorous changes to produce the latest and very effective offering.

These pills are manufactured from a combination of herbal extracts and other natural substances that are thought to cause a thermogenesis reaction in the body. This reaction is supposed to stimulate and accelerate the metabolic rate, which in turn reduces hunger cravings and produce the kind of calorie burning effects more associated with body activity, such as exercise. Although all the ingredients appear to be organic in origin, no clinical evidence exists to confirm its effectiveness as a weight loss aid.

So, what can we deduce from this information about slimming pills? It would seem at worse they are dangerous to your health and at best they simply don't work. Dieters should avoid buying any pills available only online, as their pedigree is dubious at best, and may not comply with EU regulations.