The numbers are worrying: almost one in ten young people has taken an over-the-counter weight loss supplement at least once. This is proven by a current meta-analysis. Fat blockers and other diet pills were particularly popular, followed in second and third place by laxatives and diuretics. Data from Germany was not included in the analysis.
“If teenagers want a means to lose weight, that’s a warning sign,” says child and adolescent psychiatrist and psychotherapist Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann. In her experience, many people consider laxatives, for example, to be completely harmless. The pharmacy staff should therefore point out possible side effects – for example, that if used excessively, the medication changes the salt balance in the blood, promotes intestinal sluggishness and may impair the effect of other medications.
The lipase inhibitor Orlistat is also available without a prescription (only the 60 mg hard capsules), which inhibits fat absorption in the intestine and thereby contributes to weight loss. The medicine may only be used by overweight people aged 18 and over. If in doubt, the pharmacy staff should ask for ID or refuse to sell, recommends the expert on adolescent eating disorders.
The pharmacy has less influence on prescription drugs such as the appetite-suppressing ADHD drug methylphenidate or the “weight loss injection” semaglutide. Tirzepatide and liraglutide can also be used improperly. They are also allegedly abused by people with an eating disorder to control their weight.