Thoughts on boss`s weight loss pills?

About 2-3 months ago, my boss (well, more like mentor, actually) started taking these "all-natural chinese weight loss pills". It was a huge disappointment, because I consider him extremely intelligent, but I kept my big mouth shut. Yesterday I saw him for the first time since (been busy working on my thesis) and spent some time with him. He is extremely excited about having lost 33 pounds so far, and though he does look better (obese to begin with, probably just overweight now), he doesn`t appear to have improved much health-wise. He still skips meals, drinks 1-2 liters of coke like it`s water, and gets very little sleep (a few hours a night) due to his extremely stressful lifestyle.

Also, I have started to notice some things about him. He talks faster, sometimes stares blankly into space while his lips are moving, like he is talking to himself, and has this nasty habit of violently picking at the skin on his fingers. It seriously freaks me out and reminds me of the old lady in "Requiem for a dream".

Is there any chance the pills he is taking might have similar effects as those presented in the movie? Or do I just have a much too vivid imagination, and am merely noticing things I wasn`t before?

On another note, how should I handle the situation tactfully? Should I just go on keeping my mouth shut, or should I say something? We are on very friendly terms and on a first name basis, and he always has something positive and encouraging to say about my healthy eating habits and active lifestyle, so it`s not like he is particularly touchy about this topic or anything. But I am still finding it difficult to think of an appropriate approach. Any advice there?

I would like to kindly ask you to please do not pass judgment or make any rude/sarcastic comments. While I enjoy tough love most of the time, this is a very sensitive issue to me, and I have already lost a fair share of sleep over it. Thanks in advance.

ellen burstyn got pretty scary in that movie, huh? you are obviously sincere and care. i would just tell him youd like to talk to him when you get a chance, and sit down and share your concern. start with a positive, get to the message, end on a positive. hug him. dont spend too long on it unless he wants to talk about it. if you dont tell him straight up, who will?

you have great powers of observation, btw. dont second-guess yourself, ok? be strong. then get yourself some sleep.

There's nothing to stop you asking him 'are you feeling OK?'... or saying... 'you don't seem quite yourself, is everything all right?'   You could make a joke of it and during one of his glassy-eyed moments click your fingers and do the 'earth calling boss... come in boss... ' thing.   If you really are on friendly terms you could even launch straight in with....  'are you still taking those diet pills....?'  see where the conversation ends up and then weave in your concerns that he's looking a little 'out of it' and you're a bit worried about the nervous ticks and vacant expression (only phrased more tactfully).  It could be that he stopped taking the pills ages ago and this is just a reaction to his stressful life and appalling diet.

BTW... The most common answer in this situation is 'yes, I'm completely fine!'  And if you get that reaction then you leave him to it and you stop losing sleep.  No matter how much you like or admire someone, their behaviour is not your responsibility.

Not to make you more worried, but literally anything could be in those pills. As a "natural" cure the FDA does not check their safety until they get enough serious complaints about a product. Look what happened with Zicam nasal sprays, after all.

You should mention to him the changes you've noticed in his behavior and suggest that he talk to his doctor about the pills he's using. I would not make any statements about his eating and sleeping habits, as that might put him on the defensive. He's more likely to respond well to you expressing concern than jumping to conclusions. As your boss/mentor, it will probably be easier for him to take advice about weight loss and pills from an authority figure (his physician).

That is kind of a tough situation.  If it was a friend, I'd say absolutely.  It is kind of touchy with a superior at work though, even though you are on close terms. 

If you do decide to bring it up with him, it might be a good idea not to get too specific that it's the pills you are worried about and leave it at concerned about his health/behavior.  Think about whether you want to specifically mention the pills because there could be something else going on.  He might be taking psychiatric or other medications that he wants to keep private or have something else going on medically or personally.  Bringing it up blantantly could really offend him if that is the case.  Good luck and listen to your conscience!

I think you can ask him if he's doing okay. Unsolicited advice is to be avoided in my book. I find it does little good and it's quite annoying. If someone looks for help they're ready and it's pretty easy to find (with the internet).

Wow, that was some really sound advice. Before reading your replies I was kind of, well, fixated on the whole pills thing, and it never even occurred to me it might be because of other stressful factors.

Last night I went to dinner with him, with a completely open mind. He was definitely back to his old self, so even though he said he was still taking those dubious pills, I am not that worried anymore. Must have been a combination of unfortunate circumstances the last time we met.

Thanks, everyone. :) This is when I can really appreciate being part of this community - those issues that you just can`t talk to close people about. Everyone I talk to knows my boss, and would have known it was about him, even if I kept the name undisclosed, and I didn`t want to take the risk of causing any trouble for him.

Diet pills normally work by "ramping" up your system. Boosting metabolism and just generally making you run faster (faster heartbeat and things like that). So... yup, probably why he is doing a lot of those things...just taking too much or not doing enough to get out some of his extra energy.

Taking diet pills doesnt make you stupid, its just like extreme coffee or something like that. Tell him to take less and get some sleep haha.

Original Post by loriklorik:

Diet pills normally work by "ramping" up your system. Boosting metabolism and just generally making you run faster (faster heartbeat and things like that). So... yup, probably why he is doing a lot of those things...just taking too much or not doing enough to get out some of his extra energy.

Taking diet pills doesnt make you stupid, its just like extreme coffee or something like that. Tell him to take less and get some sleep haha.

xD I know believing in things that are too good to be true doesn`t make you stupid, but it doesn`t make you very intelligent either. xD I know believing in things that are too good to be true doesn`t make you stupid, but it doesn`t make you very intelligent either.

Yeah, it all spiraled in my head and I got a bit too worked up. I am still worried about the classic side effects (addiction, yo-yo-ing), however it`s all back to what I consider a reasonable level now.Yeah, it all spiraled in my head and I got a bit too worked up. I am still worried about the classic side effects (addiction, yo-yo-ing), however it`s all back to what I consider a reasonable level now.

If he's a mentor to you, I assume there's enough closeness or familiarity that you can express your concern or perhaps point out the changes in behavior you described in the second paragraph? He may not even be aware he's doing those things.

Diet pills arent too good to be true...they really do work (Again, by the methods from above). Its just if you want to put up with that condition (and if you can manage not to go back to the old habbits when you get off them).