Bontril Information
USES:
Bontril is used as an appetite suppressant. It is
used in conjunction with an overall diet plan to reduce weight.
HOW TO TAKE Bontril:
Bontril is best taken on an empty stomach about one hour before
meals. Sustained-release or long acting products must be swallowed
whole because crushing or chewing them will destroy the long
action and may cause increased side effects. You should avoid
taking a dose late in the day because Bontril may
cause sleeplessness. Take Bontril as prescribed. Bontril
is usually taken for 8 to 12 weeks and should not be used
combination with other appetite suppressant medicine
SIDE EFFECTS:
As your body adjusts to the medication you could experience
blurred vision, sleeplessness, irritability,
or stomach upset. If these effects persist or become bothersome
notify your doctor. If Bontril
makes you dizzy or lightheaded, avoid driving or engaging
in activities requiring alertness.
PRECAUTIONS:
Tell your doctor your complete medical history especially
if you have high blood pressure, an overactive thyroid, glaucoma,
diabetic or emotional problems. Alcohol can increase unwanted side effects of dizziness.
DRUG INTERACTIONS:
Inform your doctor about all the medicines you use, (prescription
and nonprescription) especially if you take high blood pressure
medicine or MAO inhibitors (e.g., furazolidone, phenelzine,
selegiline, tranylcypromine) or any other weight loss medicine.
STORAGE:
Store at room temperature away from sunlight and moisture.
Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children.
Food Additives (from Maria)
Food additives
Some people claim that food additives, such as artificial sweeteners, colorants, preserving agents, and flavourants may cause health problems even though they were extensively tested before being allowed on the market. For example, artificial colorants are claimed to cause hyperactivity in susceptible children. As another example, people on calorie restricted diets often choose to buy products advertised as "reduced calorie" or "no sugar added". These products contain artificial sweeteners. These are safe to consume in small quantities, and are of low toxicity. Safety studies may well show some advantage in substitutions, product by product. Over a period of time, many different products are approved for sale, each one relying on a study done in isolation, and each one suggesting the artificially sweetened product has fewer associated health problems than equivalent all-natural products. When dieters buy reduced-calorie soft drinks, biscuits, cakes, flavoured water, yogurt, and so on, all may contain combinations of the leading artificial sweeteners aspartame, acesulfame potassium or sucralose. Cumulative doses are at higher levels than those on which the safety studies were based.
The issue of sweetening is just one example. Other taste-enhancing additives (e.g. salt substitutes) or flavourants are also hidden in processed foods and drink, as are colourants. Mandatory food labelling is one attempt to overcome the problem. This invites the consumer to check the ingredients of their foods before consumption. However, the average person has no training in organic chemistry and its nutritional effects. Neither is it practical for individuals to manage score cards recording all the nutrients they consume.
Some would assert that research into the toxicity of many varied artificial ingredients has been inconclusive. The USA's Food and Drug Administration has very stringent requirements for the introduction of new food ingredients, and this includes rigorous testing on animals, where the animals are given exorbitant amounts of these chemicals - far more than humans ever would be likely to consume.
Studies often attempt to determine whether an artificially-produced food additive is potentially carcinogenic, conduicive to heart disease, or possessing of other malicious properties. A good rule of thumb to remember when reading the results of these studies is that the more widespead a food additive is in existing packaged food, the more likely the studies will conclude said additive to be benign.
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