Many people have a problem with obesity, so they often want to turn to medications that prevent weight gain. There are many such products on the market, but there is such a glut of them, it is hard to know which to choose. Some of these medications are specifically manufactured to aid weight loss, while others are designed to treat certain diseases. Weight loss is a possible side effect of these drugs.
First of all, remember that some of the medications that prevent weight gain are prescription only. They are usually only prescribed to people who are at Prescription increased medical risk because of their weight. These drugs should not be used to drop a few pounds. Prescription weight-loss drugs are only given to patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 and above, in most cases, which does not include people who want to drop 10 or 15 pounds.
These prescription medications to prevent weight gain have some side effects. Most of them are mild, but serious side effects have been reported. Also, most studies on their safety have not exceeded two years, so it is hard to say what the long-term risks are of these medications.
Other medications to prevent weight gain include appetite suppressants. Appetite-suppressant medications keep you from gaining weight by decreasing appetite or increasing the feeling of being full. These medications can help you feel less hungry by increasing brain chemicals that affect mood and appetite. Phentermine and sibutramine are some of the common appetite-suppressants in the U.S.
Another medication that prevents weight gain is ipase inhibitors. This drug works by keeping your body from absorbing fat. This works by blocking the enzyme lipase, which is responsible for breaking down dietary fat. When your body cannot break down fat, you absorb fewer calories.
Other medications that prevent weight gain include some antidepressants. These drugs are approved by FDA for use for depression only, so their use as a weight loss aid is an “off-label” use. This means the drug’s safety for use in losing weight has not been established, so you should be aware of this. Studies of these antidepressants have found that patients often lose a moderate amount of weight for about six months, and then tend to regain it while still taking the drug.
Other medications that can prevent weight gain include two medications used to treat seizures, called topiramate and zonisamide. Other possibilities are drugs to treat diabetes. The diabetes medication metformin has been shown to cause small amounts of weight loss in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Other medications are being developed to prevent weight gain, such as rimonabant. This medication affects brain chemicals, and ciliary neurotrophic factor that affects the hormones that control appetite. Both of these medications are only available in clinical trials at this time.