Cosmetic/ Weight Lost

Prescription weight loss medication

The Food and Drug Administration has approved five prescription drugs for long-term weight loss based on research about their safety and effectiveness:

1. Liraglutide, sold under the brand name Saxenda. A 2017 review published in Obesity Science & Practice found that across five trials, obese participants lost weight when taking liraglutide compared with participants on a placebo. On average, participants taking liraglutide lost 5% to 10% of their body weight, though some dropped out of the trials because of adverse side effects including nausea and vomiting.
2. Lorcaserin, sold under the brand name Belviq. Studies have found that people who take one 10-milligram tablet twice a day for 12 weeks may lose at least 5% of their body weight; if they don't, they should stop taking the pills. Side effects may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, urinary tract infections, back pain, and headaches. Studies have suggested that people might lose less weight on lorcaserin than liraglutide.
3. Naltrexone-bupropion, sold under the brand name Contrave. Naltrexone and bupropion are separate medications, but researchers have recently found that a pill that combines the two can help more with weight loss than either pill separately. Something to note, however, is that many of the studies on this pill's weight-loss effects were sponsored by the company that manufactures this combination pill.
4. Orlistat, sold under the brand names Xenical and Alli. Researchers have found that people with a BMI of 27 kg/m or greater who take orlistat for more than two months could lose 12.3 pounds on average. Interestingly, one 2012 study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that overweight soldiers who took orlistat for six months lost more fat mass but not as much lean mass compared with the placebo group.
5. Phentermine-topiramate, sold under the brand name Qsymia. This treatment seems to help people lose the most weight out of the five medications. In a 2011 study published in The Lancet, nearly half of participants who took one pill containing 15 milligrams of phentermine and 92 milligrams of topiramate daily lost more than 10% of their total body weight after 56 weeks. Common side effects included constipation, insomnia, and dysgeusia, a distorted sense of taste.

A few other medications — most commonly phentermine — are approved for short-term use. But prescription weight loss medication isn't for everyone. Doctors often reserve these treatments for people with a BMI of over 30 kg/m or those who have obesity-related health complications, like high blood pressure or diabetes.

These pills aren't a perfect solution for obesity. Weight loss medications are used along with a healthy diet and exercise regimen that need to be continued after treatment. Also, side effects are common and can be severe.