People are slowly but surely waking up to the reality that there is more than one way to attain a healthy weight. Gone are the days of trying to cut corners by taking the cheapest fad diet pills available or by relying on unproven weight loss supplements. Today, people are realizing that they need to find the right medication for the condition that they have, and this is often times a difficult process. This is where prescription drugs come in. There are certain medications that have been proven to be more effective at helping patients lose weight than others, and by understanding these differences, patients can have a greater impact on the outcome of their treatment.
This blog post is going to focus on exploring the top 5 prescription drugs for weight loss. By understanding these drugs and how they work, patients can make smarter choices about their treatment and experience better results.
Phentermine
On the surface, phentermine might not seem like an obvious weight loss drug. After all, it was originally developed in the 1950s as an appetite suppressant. As a result of its initial success, many people assume that the drug must be relatively easy to obtain. However, this is far from true. Phentermine is actually one of the most controlled medications that you can buy without a prescription. It is also one of the most expensive weight loss medications available. What’s more is that getting a prescription for phentermine requires a trip to the family doctor or specialist, which is likely to be a fairly lengthy process.
Pemoline
Pemoline is another expensive drug that gained popularity as a treatment for ADHD. As a result of its success, people started seeing it as a medication for other conditions that were associated with weight loss. While it was originally developed to help patients with ADHD, it also proved to be effective for treating Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Like phentermine, pemoline is also one of the most expensive weight loss medications available. However, getting a prescription for pemoline is a lot easier. All you need is a prescription for ADHD and your family doctor can write you a prescription for pemoline. Like phentermine, pemoline can also be very dangerous if improperly used. Additionally, it has been known to cause liver damage.
Topiramate
Topiramate is another drug that gained popularity as a treatment for epilepsy and is also used as a diet supplement. Studies have shown that it can be quite effective for weight loss. Topiramate is a drug that inhibits the activity of the glutamatergic system, which is responsible for most of the excitatory neurotransmitters in the brain. This in turn causes a decrease in appetite and an increase in energy expenditure, which results in weight loss. Unfortunately, like the other weight loss drugs covered in this article, topiramate can also be very dangerous if used wrong. Additionally, it has been known to cause nerve damage and liver toxicity. It’s also important to note that there are several other weight loss medications that fall under the topiramate category. Be careful when choosing this medication as there are several other options available.
Zolpidem
Zolpidem is often referred to as the “sleep aid” and was originally developed as a treatment for insomnia. It is quite effective at helping patients sleep and those who take it regularly report that they have reduced bouts of insomnia and sleep apnea. While it is usually a safe and effective medication, it can also cause dizziness and drowsiness. Unfortunately, like the other medications mentioned so far, zolpidem can also be very dangerous if used improperly. In fact, many sleep aids contain alcohol, which can seriously damage the liver if taken in excess. It is also worth noting that alcohol blocks the effects of zolpidem, which may cause problems if you mix the two substances.
Liraglutide
Liraglutide is a medication that was initially intended to be used as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes. However, it has also been found to be quite effective at helping patients lose weight as well. It is a drug that acts in a similar way to the hormone GLP-1, which is produced in response to food intake. The medication has been shown to increase satiety and decrease food intake. It has also been shown to increase metabolic rate and decrease body weight. Like all medications, liraglutide comes with its own set of side effects, which are often mild to moderate in nature. The most common side effect is nausea, which can be controlled with the help of medication.
Orlistat
Orlistat is often referred to as the “lipid regulator” and was originally developed as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes. It has also been proven to be quite effective at helping patients lose weight and it is currently approved for use in many countries around the globe. Orlistat inhibits the activity of lipase, which is an enzyme that breaks down fat in the liver. As a result of its inhibitory effect on lipase, fat levels in the blood stream are increased, which in turn results in weight loss. Orlistat is somewhat unique among the medications discussed in this article in that it does not cause a marked increase in energy expenditure. Instead, it appears to rely on glucagon to increase metabolic rate.
While all of the medications discussed so far have shown to be safe and effective, it is always worth remembering that they are prescriptions and side effects can occur. It is also important to note that this list is not exhaustive and there are several other over-the-counter and prescription medications that can be used for weight loss. Just remember that the key is always finding the right one for you.