Diet Drugs Learning

Phentermine - pharmaceutical preparation to reduce the appetite, which disrupts the transmission of signals from the neurotransmitters and is used in the management of obesity.


Morbid Obesity - also called `clinically severe obesity`, applies to a person with a body mass index of 40 or 40+, which is roughly equivalent to 100 pounds or more over the ideal body weight; an excess of weight that is considered to be a threat to life.


Aerobic Exercise - this is the term for the kind of brisk, sustained activity of major groups of muscles, which makes one breathe hard and pushes one`s heart and lungs to operate under greater demands for a fairly long duration. It forces the cardiovascular system to work harder and, after a period of time, yields beneficial changes in the respiratory and circulatory systems. Examples of aerobic exercise include walking, going for a swim, stair climbing, and cycling.


Anaerobic Threshold (or Lactate Threshold) - the point during high-intensity activity when lactic acid starts to accumulate in the blood stream faster than it can be metabolized. It is the exact moment when an individual begins working the muscles without oxygen.


Comorbidity - a potentially deadly side-effect caused by an illness or health condition. Specific to morbid obesity, excessive buildup of body fat can cause concurrent medical complications, like diabetes or SCA (sudden cardiac arrest).


Insulin Resistance - a medical condition in which the cells have an impaired biological response to insulin. Quite a few individuals with type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes produce enough insulin, but their bodies fail to respond to the action of insulin. This may be because the individual has excess weight and has too many fat cells, which have a lower sensitivity to insulin`s action insulin. Also, as individuals get older, their body cells no longer have the same capacity to respond to and efficiently process insulin.


Dumping Syndrome - an adverse side effect of bariatric procedures, when the stomach empties food or liquids into the small intestine too rapidly; results in nausea and vomiting.


Low-Calorie Sweeteners - sweetening agents that provide a sweet taste and yet have few or no accompanying calories. These are sweeteners that don`t add calories or provide energy, also known as intensive sweeteners. Low-calorie sweeteners can replace nutritive sweeteners (that supply calories and energy to the body) in almost every kind of food where they could save consumers calories amounting to approximately 16 calories per teaspoon. Thus, a substantial caloric count could be reduced if low-calorie sweetened foods and beverages are substituted for their full-calorie counterparts. Prior to being approved by the FDA for use within the US, intense sweeteners have to go through extensive safety tests. All of the FDA-approved low-calorie sweeteners must comply with same standards of safety. They are safe for consumption by pregnant women and children. The 6 intensive, low-calorie sweeteners currently sanctioned for use within the United States are acesulfame potassium (Ace-K), aspartame, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, and tagatose. The FDA is considering requests to approve additional low-calorie, intense sweetening agents for use within the U.S. food supply: cyclamate and alitame. Both these low-calorie sweetening agents have been accepted for use within several other nations.


Lecithin - a byproduct derived from processing fat in soya oil and is also present in spinach, nuts, eggs yolks, and red meat. Historically, lecithin has been used in commercial food manufacture and processing as an emulsifier and spreading agent. Lecithin is a source of choline when digested, and is a key part of the lipoproteins that transport cholesterol molecules and fat through the blood. The choline from lecithin promotes synthesis of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) - also called `good cholesterol` - by the tissues of the liver, when it is ingested by humans.


Antibiotics - a broad category of drugs that fight infection caused by bacteria.


Compulsive Overeating - also referred to as `binge eating`.


Saccharin - a non-caloric artificial sweetening agent. Saccharin, the earliest of the intense artificial sweetening agents, is presently produced from refined, synthetic methyl anthranilate, which is a chemical substance naturally present in grapes. Saccharine is 300 times sweeter than white sugar, stable when exposed to heat, and does not cause tooth decay. Saccharin has a long shelf-life, but has a mildly bitter aftertaste. It is neither digested nor stored by the human body, but quickly eliminated in urine.


Anaerobic - not containing oxygen or not requiring oxygen.


Didrex - an anorectic that curbs hunger pangs by acting on the central nervous system.


Minerals - the micronutrients crucial for good health. In contrast to other dietary nutrients (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates), these micronutrients cannot provide energy to the body. In the area of diet and nutrition, minerals are grouped into two classes: macro minerals (also called `bulk minerals` or just `minerals`) and micro minerals (also referred to as `trace minerals`). The body needs `bulk` minerals at a minimum of 100 milligrams per day. Trace elements are required in lesser quantities, although they are equally essential to the body. Minerals such as calcium, chlorine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and sulfur are macrominerals. Micro minerals include zinc, iron, copper, manganese, chromium, selenium, fluorine, and iodine.


Crustacean - a class of aquatic invertebrates, which include crabs, shrimps, lobsters, and barnacles. They are characterized by segmented bodies, crusty exoskeletons and paired and jointed appendages on each body segment.


Bulimia Nervosa - a medical disorder marked by compulsive binging on food (eating large amounts very quickly), accompanied by a feeling of being utterly out of control during the food encounter, and allowing body weight and shape to have an overpowering effect on one`s sense of self-esteem. There are two forms of the condition: purging and non-purging. In the first type, the person frequently engages in purging by forcing him/herself to throw up the food eaten, or by frequently misusing laxatives, diuretics, or even enemas. Conversely, in the non-purging type, the subject prevents weight gain through strict dieting, going on periodic fasts, or a disproportionate amount of exercise. This binging on vast quantities of food before self-induced vomiting, and experiencing guilt, depression, and self-condemnation, is often linked with another eating disorder, anorexia nervosa. Many times there is no significant weight loss and the disease might not come to medical attention until the individual seeks help.


Spot Reduction - getting rid of built-up fat (to redefine body contours) from particular areas of the body. Spot reduction through exercise or workouts is a myth, because working a muscle does not get rid of the fat surrounding it.