Do Appetite Suppressants Work?
Losing weight is hard. What if you ALWAYS feel hungry? Can appetite suppressants help? Do they work?The answer is: some products, for some people, some of the time.
To understand this somewhat vague answer, we need to look at the categories of products – which vary widely in their demonstrated efficacy, and purity/safety.
Our body protects itself and its need for calories – hard-wiring a stimulation of appetite – so our response is to EAT, for survival. It's VERY hard to find any compounds that reduce appetite without doing a lot of other things to the body. It's a main reason there are so few prescription weight loss medications - it's certainly not for lack of trying!
1. Dietary supplements (not approved by FDA; available over the counter). While this group of products is easy to find in many stores and on-line, and promise to reduce appetite, it's important to read "below the headlines" before making a decision. My bottom line: avoid these. Why? There is always the question of safety, purity or dosage - since there is no regulation to monitor these. While these may be a waste of money, at the very worst, they can be health damaging. Natural doesn't mean safe: arsenic is natural! It is not surprising in nature that there are compounds that stimulate, sedate, increase appetite, and reduce appetite. These are all actions of plants - and if you chew the leaves or plant parts, you get the effect. You cannot translate these actions to a pill or capsule you know nothing about, except from assurances of the package. Plus, the placebo effect can be very big - we like to "think it's working", so it does. Always talk to your doctor first. Some of these products may interfere with prescription medicines.Here's a great resource to separate "help from hype" when it comes to these products: reality-coalition.org.
2. Prescription medications (approved by FDA for weight loss). Approved by the FDA for safety and efficacy. Few medications are currently available, and the two most common are phentermine and sibutramine. Phentermine, which is only approved for use for up to 12 weeks and is a major body stimulant (older drug from the 1950s) and Meridia, which is approved for up to 2 years (first approved in 1993). Meridia has a much gentler effect on the brain, and helps people feel fuller on a lot less food. My bottom line? Talk to your doctor about your own needs. Many people have no response to medication at all, or only for a limited time. For the right people, Meridia can sometimes be of long term support. Only use these under a physician's care, and do not buy these online. These medications do not promise a lot, and the claims are more modest, due to FDA rules.
3. "Off-label" prescription medications (approved by FDA for use, but NOT for weight loss; weight loss is a side-effect of treatment). This is an alarming trend. Off label drug use means: using a prescription medication for a reason other than what it is approved for. It IS FDA approved, for another reason. People get these online, from relatives, friends, and sometimes even from their own doctor. There are about a half dozen drugs used as off label treatments for obesity. These include Topamax (for seizures); Adderall (for hyperactivity); wellbutrin (for depression); glucophage and byetta (for diabetes); provigil (for chronic fatigue and sleep disorders). Most of the evidence of these for weight loss comes from observing patients who are taking these for FDA approved use. My bottom line: Stay away!! If these were appropriate for weight loss, they would have an approved and indicated use for it. Talk to your doctor about your weight issues to start.
4. Medication awaiting FDA approval (not many!). Many brain pathways are involved in appetite. One is the endo-cannabinoid pathway – the same brain pathways where marijuana acts. Marijuana stimulates this pathway, and improves mood and stimulates appetite. If you block this pathway – that’s the drug Rimonabant - you suppress appetite. Approved for use in 14 European countries, Mexico, and other areas, Rimonabant is still NOT approved in the US. The FDA presently does not feel the risks outweigh the benefits. A side-effect of treatment occurs in some people that remains a concern: depressive mood. It is expected that this drug will again be submiited to the FDA for approval sometime in the future. A related compound, Taranabant, is also under study. My bottom line? Not ready for prime time in the US, so wait for approval here, under your doctor's supervision.
So, lifestyle remains the foundation of weight loss in 2008. Prescription medication can help support, but not replace, a lifestyle effort. Reductions in appetite are hard to achieve over the long term. That's our bodies protecting us from starvation - a pretty smart built-in mechanism for survival.
What do you think?
Comments
I used phentermine to successfully lose and keep off 40 lbs. 8 years ago. I had back surgery 6 mos. ago and gained approx. 50 lbs. After requesting phentermine from dr to help get it off, he all but refused to write rx! He cited heart related effects and the lack of maintenance for quick fixes, etc. If I know what works how can I or can I convince my dr to give it to me?
Try looking up LA weight loss or Malibu Medical weight loss.. That's where I get my phentermine.. 60 bucks a month.. but well worth it.
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I begin taking adipex dec 07, I only took 1 every other day. Along with walking about 3 miles per day, exercising with a sauna suit occasionally. December I weighed 245lbs as of yesterday I weighed in at 219. Im now at the stage of watching calories and staying away from fried foods, and weaning away from the diet pills all together.
I lost a lot of weight on Adipex also and now my regular dr also won't prescribe it. It makes me so upset because it has helped me tremendously in the past. I need to get it together before I go over my danger zone!!!!
It's truly unfortunate that today people look for a pill to cure everything including excessive weight. Anything that comes easy isn't worth it! There's something to be said for hard work including lifestyle changes with eating clean and exercise.
Kudos to those who work their arse off the hard way... even if it takes longer without the assistance of a pill. They're never the one stop solution.
As I am reading how upset people are at their doctors for not prescribing weight loss helpers, I wonder if they realize how much they sound like junkies?? My doctor told me upfront that she would not prescribe me diet aids because she didn't want to have to treat me for any of the side effects they may cause. Made sense to me. EXERCISE AND PROPER FOODS -- those are the miracle workers. Don't blame your doctor's for your bad habits, create your own good habits for life!!
Can anyone tell me if hoodia works?
I have been on Meridia. I lost 58 Pounds no side effects. I have keept this off for a year. I swear by it.
I have been on Meridia. I lost 58 Pounds no side effects. I have kept this off for a year. I swear by it.
I also am using Apidex. It was prescribed to me about a month ago and I have lost 15 lbs. Before using Apidex, my appetite had a broken turn-off switch. This diet pill made it easier to say no to those fattening foods and without feeling deprived by not having them. I agree that exercise and eating right are key elements to ANY diet plan, but it is also helpful to have a little boost in the right direction. I, myself, have suffered no side effects from this pill. I have no jitters, no "crash" late in the afternoon. It just takes away my cravings. For those of you whose doctor is denying you, keep on looking. There are doctors out there that will prescribe it, and who monitor you closely in those 12 weeks. Good luck.
I lost 40 lbs with the combination of Wellutrin and Phentramine. As I have had depression for years, I remained taking the Wellbutrin and intend to continue indefinately. As for the Phentramine, it works but only for approx. 1-2 weeks, then stops working. If you restart a month of so later, it works again, so a month worth of supply can last a long time. It makes changing your diet easier and gives you plenty of energy for exercise (I started serious boxing, considering even a carrier change), which are the key elements of weight loss. As it is a long term plan, you have time to get used to the healthier lifestyle. Once you are on the right tract, you do not need the medication any more. But it definately jump-starts the weight loss. It will work for you, too!
i have just bought that hoodia -max deit has any1 tryed these or herd of them seaminly the have been on ophra wimfry
Gees sounds like some people have an addiction problem, pills will catch up with you in the long run.. good on the drs for limiting their patients, it can get too dangerous..
I tried 2 different tyes of Hoodia, one advertised by Oprah on her show, the other in a health food mag. Neither one worked the way they claimed. With the first, I lost a whole 5 lbs while they claimed 15 lbs and with the second, nothing. Now I just exercise and line dance, If I can't be slim, I can at least be healthy!. Oh, and at the place I go to work out, I began taking something called Body Shapers and while they don't clim to make you lose weight (I've lost 5 lbs) they work on the fat in your body. AND IT WORKS! I've lost inches and a pant size~! I'm happy and NO side affects.
I tried 2 different tyes of Hoodia, one advertised by Oprah on her show, the other in a health food mag. Neither one worked the way they claimed. With the first, I lost a whole 5 lbs while they claimed 15 lbs and with the second, nothing. Now I just exercise and line dance, If I can't be slim, I can at least be healthy!. Oh, and at the place I go to work out, I began taking something called Body Shapers and while they don't clim to make you lose weight (I've lost 5 lbs) they work on the fat in your body. AND IT WORKS! I've lost inches and a pant size~! I'm happy and NO side affects.
For over 25 years, I have popped almost every diet pill on the market, spent thousands & nothing has worked, but every exercise gadget I could by, & the only thing that has ever worked for me through all these years, is walking, & following the Canada Food guide...the right foods every day...so many fruits, veggies, protein. Really, it is the only anser to me, & I still hve about $100 worth of diet pills in my closet, & I now promise myself, I will not throw my money away any longer on these fads! If they really worked, I'm sure there would be hardly any obese people anymore!! Cheers to a healthier lifestyle!
im using olistat. Does it works?
im using olistat. Does it works?
I did Weight Watchers and lost 25 pounds and have kept it off because of a chcange in diet and exercise, the only real cure. Pills are short term and the weight will come back eventually if you don't change the foods you eat and the exercise you get.
what about that 2-day deit pill it takes out the fat, has aybody treid it. are iaai
Back in Dec 2006 I was 325 pounds and had enough of being fat and lazy. So my New Years resolution for 2007 was to lose weight. I started on Jan 1st 2007 and I now lost a total of 120 pounds just eating healthy and exercising. It was ALOT of work. But take it from me, you do not need any diet pills to help you. If I can do it anyone can!!
just stop eating
January 2007, one week on Cabage soup peels I have lost 8 kg after that healthy eating-no sugar or carbs for about a year.Few months ago I stoped exercising and started with chocolate and here I am- + 10 kg again.So the peels helped me to see how great I can feel but it needs a discipline to stay that way.
im on and off with phentermine and it works....
I still have some unused Redux that I abruptly stopped taking after reports of heart valve problems. Even though I'm tempted, I'm staying away from these products that make all these claims. It's not worth the risk. Ihave learned to control my weight through guess what? DIET AND EXERCISE It's also making up your mind and sticking to it!
I never liked or trusted diet pills and now I understand why. First of all, most of them aren't even approved by the FDA, second, people tend to think that pills are the only way to lose weight, 3rd, look at all the possible side effects that can come with pills!!! Is it really worth it? In my opinion, I really believe in eating healthy portions and exercising. I started eating right and exercising, and I really WAS losing the weight (1-2 lbs per week). I lost 11 lbs in 2 months; but I stopped losing because I stopped eating healthy. So I do believe that sticking to healthy choices WILL WORK, and that's why I've started again on doing it. Pills are never a permanent thing. once you stop using them, the weight piles on, and you're back on square 1. Like it's always been said, you need to make losing weight a life-long commitment so that you can actually lose it and keep it off!
I believe that pills should be used when people have clinical disorders that may cause obesity. Stop calling junkies to people who may have a chemical disorder in their brain function. When we understand that the brain needs some chemicals to make sinapsis, you will understand when to or not to use them. Having a healthy diet & excersice, helps. But can you cure everything that way? Undertand that obesity is caused by something...find out!
How come it is ok for doctors to prescribe pills to smokers to stop smoking but not to overweight people to lose weight? I think there is a huge prejudice against overweight people. That they are lazy and pigs and why don't they just stop overeating. If it were that easy, you think they would be that way???
I used Adios years ago, thought it was fine until I got a rash on my arm, and in my armpit - stopped using it and the rash vanished! Never taken anything since - it's so much better to diet without taking pills - they do more harm than good!
So if you take the drug Rimonabant can you not get high?
Great post. Actually the Proactol weight loss pills really worked for me and I lost enought weight for my wedding :) I bought them form here:
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My doctor would not give me any appetite suppressants. I took matters into my own hands and I take Sudafed. That works well for me. I follow a very low calorie diet and the Sudafed keeps me from feeeling hungry.
Linked into your website for one subject, and it was nowhere to be found -- too much advertising, not enough info.
can anyone tell me a good way to diet and stay on track since i work the graveyard shift??? Night work is the hardest and im trying to lose 40lbslbs.
overweight people are NOT all lazy pigs who eat 24/7!!! I have insulin resistance, a metabolic condition that is genetic and you are born with it. That increased insulin in my blood makes it extremely hard to take weight off. I get very pissed when people just assume the fat person at the buffet table is eating alot of food when in fact the skinny person next to them maybe eating 3 times as much as them. These people that think this way are ignorant and have they ever heard of genetics playing a huge factor? We are not all junkies
Check here for a comparison of the best Hoodia pills that can suppress your appetite:
I also have insulin resistance, mine was self inflicted from eating too much while expecting. I am also a vegetarian
which probably makes it even harder to loose because of bad carb overload.If anyone is having a real hard time, have your doctor do some bloodwork. When I was put on medication for this-I dropped 16 pounds in about a month without changing anything. But now I have to work at it. You may have to go every so often to make sure your meds are the correct amount-having your blood checked. The older you get the harder it is..
