Over the counter diet pills use a wide range of ingredients that they claim will promote weight loss, but one ingredient seems to be a common factor in the some of the most popular diet pills. That ingredient is bitter orange (also known as citrus aurantium). Bitter orange has been used in the Chinese culture to treat chest congestion and stimulate gastrointestinal functions. While is has been used as a treatment for these symptoms, it has never been confirmed to have any weight loss properties. Unfortunately the FDA has not performed any clinical test trials on this ingredient so the only thing that we have to go off of are so-called studies by paid doctors and "testimonials" from people that claim to have experienced weight loss from the product.

While the weight loss effects can not be clearly be documented, there have been some noted side effects from the use of bitter orange as a dietary supplement. In some cases, high dosages of bitter orange may place too much stress on the heart. As a result of this noted side effect, doctors have recommended that people with high blood pressure or heart disease do not try taking any diet pill that contains citrus aurantium- bitter orange.

Even though the jury is still out on the safety and effectiveness of taking higher doses of bitter orange, it seems to be heading in the same direction as ephedra. For anyone that is not familiar with Ephedra, it was a common ingredient in diet pills a couple of years ago that was determined to have harmful side effects and was banned by the FDA.

While the FDA doesn't normally regulate over the counter diet pills, it has stepped in over the years to challenge the claims of extra ordinary weight loss and marketing techniques of specific products. Some of those products had listed bitter orange as one of the main ingredients in the diet pills. While there is no clear cut evidence that bitter orange does or doesn't have weight loss attributes, there is definitely evidence that it can have side effects in higher doses.

As with any dietary product, it is important to consult your physician before taking anything. Diet products can efffect people differently and could escalate any current medical conditions. The weight loss industry is a multi-billion dollar industry and there are always going to be new products being introduced with new ingredients. Before taking any weight loss product, it is important to do your research about the product and it's ingredients.