I have found one of the few (if any) benefits the over the counter pills have is simply to remind me that I am watching what I eat. I have generally had a bit of a benefit in the first couple of weeks on almost any of them, which is probably just a placebo effect - but thats OK as long as I haven't bought one of those super expensive brands.
Since you have to keep the pills on hand, and usually take them at a prescibed time, it tends to keep one aware of your food choices and thus helps with making the right choices.
I have thought several time of just making up some geletin pills, putting them in a bottle marked "Super Diet Pills - use with caution" and seeing how effective they would be.
