Weight loss Drugs

Long-term treatment with the weight loss drugs orlistat, sibutramine or rimonabant produces slight weight loss, but all three drugs influence cardiovascular risk profiles in different ways and have different side effects. An alternative to weight loss drugs is a natural weight control pill called Diet Rx.

High drop out rate with weight loss drugs
High drop-out rates -- 30% to 40% -- limits the effectiveness of these weight loss drugs.

Effectiveness of weight loss drugs
Patients taking these weight loss drugs are more likely than those taking placebo to experience a 5% to 10% reduction in weight. In a review of long term studies, compared with placebo, orlistat reduced weight by 2.9 kg, sibutramine by 4.2 kg, and rimonabant by 4.7 kg.

Benefit of orlistat weight loss drug
Orlistat reduces the incidence of diabetes and improves levels of total and LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and glycemic control in patients with diabetes but increases rates of gastrointestinal side effects and lowers HDL levels.

Benefit of sibutramine weight loss drug
Sibutramine lowers HDL and triglyceride levels but raised blood pressure and pulse rate.

Benefit of rimonabant weight loss drug
Rimonabant improves HDL and triglyceride levels, as well as blood pressure and glycemic control in diabetic patients but increases mood disorders, such as depression or anxiety.

Drug companies and weight loss drugs
14-May-2008 - A petition by drug firm GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) requesting that weight loss claims be treated as disease claims maintains that there is no credible science to back up weight loss ingredients used in dietary supplements. GSK filed the petition, together with the American Dietetic Association, The Obesity Society and Shaping America's Health, an association for weight management. The petition says that obesity and overweight are significant risk factors for certain diseases, and so natural products promoting weight loss should be treated as drugs. However, the petitioners also claim that "there is no credible evidence whatsoever to support any type of qualified health claim for a weight loss supplement".
   It appears that drug companies feel threatened by natural weight loss supplements and are trying to prevent the market growth of natural supplements that may compete against weight loss drugs.

Weight loss drug questions
Q. Does sibutramine cause erectile dysfunction?
   A. We have not seen any reports that this weight loss drug causes impotence or has a significant effect on sexual health.

 

Home weight loss pill home