Diet Pills: Using Prescription Drugs To Fight Obesity Xenical & Meridian
The use of antidepressants and other drugs to fight obesity has been in the news lately, so we thought we’d take a look at the prescription drugs that are currently available to fight weight loss. As a disclaimer, this information is for dieters in the United States. Other nations have different drugs that are approved and considered effective for weight loss. As always, check with a doctor and don’t just go buying drugs off the Internet.
There are two main drugs currently approved for weight loss by the Food and Drug Administration, orlistat and sibutramine. Orlistat is sold under the brand name Xenical, while sibutramine is sold as Meridia. Sibutramine is an appetite suppressant, while orlistat is known as a lipase inhibitor, which means it interferes with the body’s ability to absorb fat. Both drugs are approved for long-term use.
In studies of these two drugs, patients usually lose between five and 22 pounds more than people who are just dieting and exercising, with some people losing up to 10 percent of their body weight. Peak weight loss seems to happen around the sixth month of taking the medication. They have not been studied for use of more than two years at a time.
There are also some prescription weight loss drugs approved for shorter-term use, which the FDA defines as a couple of weeks. These drugs go by several different trade names but their generic names are diethylpropion, phendimetrazine and phentermine. All three are appetite suppressants that have been on the market for decades.
Beyond the weight loss, the plus side of taking weight loss medication can include an improvement in blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, lower triglycerides and better insulin resistance.
The risks include dependence (since all approved drugs are stimulants except orlistat are stimulants), lessening of effectiveness over time, and side effects. Side effects of orlistat can include cramping, intestinal discomfort and gas, while sibutramine can cause increases in blood pressure and heart rate.
The other approved drugs can cause nervousness, sleeplessness and euphoria. Your doctor can help you pick the right medication for you, but be sure to tell him or her if you have a history of alcohol or drug abuse, eating disorders, manic depression or have used MAO inhibitors, or if you are pregnant or nursing, have migraines, glaucoma, diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease. These conditions don’t always rule out taking medication, but it is important for your doctor to know your history.
The FDA points out that without lifestyle change, it is likely you will gain weight back after coming off the pill, and they are not meant to be taken for a lifetime. Further, many insurance companies will not pay for drug treatments for weight loss, because it is not seen as a chronic disease. Still, if you are dangerously obese (drugs are usually only prescribed to those with a BMI of 30 and above) a weight loss drug can help you get on the road to recovery.
Article Source: CalorieLab Counter News
Article Author: Sarah White
            
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