Q. Why do I experience heart palpitations and insomnia whenever I take diet pills? What causes these side effects?

These side effects occur because our body's physiological systems are intricately interconnected. Western diet drugs often stimulate the central nervous system to create a false sense of satiety or forcibly heighten the sympathetic nervous system, making the body burn energy as if it is exercising even while at rest. However, continuous artificial stimulation eventually leads to adrenal fatigue and hormonal imbalances. In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), this phenomenon is explained through Spleen Deficiency (脾虛) and Phlegm-fluid (痰飮). Spleen Deficiency refers to a weakened state of the Spleen system, which is responsible for digestion and metabolism. When the Spleen loses its functional strength, it fails to produce vital energy and instead accumulates metabolic waste known as Phlegm-fluid (痰飮). Furthermore, if the medication dries out the body's essential Body Fluids (津液), it can lead to Blood Stasis (瘀血), making the blood more viscous and hindering circulation. Essentially, the forced stimulation induces Spleen Deficiency, and the resulting accumulation of Phlegm-fluid and Blood Stasis causes your basal metabolism to drop. This creates a constitution where you are prone to edema (swelling) and find it harder to lose weight despite the pills. Rather than just suppressing appetite, TKM focuses on restoring the flow of Qi (氣) and addressing why the body cannot withstand the stimulation. We aim to untangle these physiological knots to ensure healthy, sustainable weight loss.