Many people want to lose weight and get rid of obesity and the complications that come with it. Although a healthy diet and exercise are some ways to lose weight, weight loss medications go a long way in ensuring you lose that extra fat.
There are numerous weight loss medications out there, but not all of them are FDA-approved, nor do they pass the quality assessment tests designed to ensure they are safe for use. Below, we give some of the best and FDA-approved weight loss medications that can be beneficial in your weight loss journey. Of course, you still need to keep your diet in check along with using these medications to ensure optimal results.
Top Weight Loss Medications:
1. Semaglutide (Ozempic)
How It Works:
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 agonist, which means that it imitates an intestinal hormone which stimulates the production of insulin. This lowers the appetite, giving a feeling of fullness, and reduces hunger. Although Ozempic is sometimes prescribed as an off-label weight loss medication, it is not approved for weight loss management.
How is it Administered:
Ozempic weight loss medication comes in the form of injections that are administered once a week with a prefilled pen. The injection is inserted in the skin of the abdomen, thighs, or upper arm. Initially, the dose amounts to 0.25 milligram, which increases to 0.50 milligram. Some people are even prescribed 1-2 milligrams.
Side Effects:
The side effects of Ozempic are usually mild. However, its side effects can result in nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and constipation. Serious, but rare, side effects include allergic reactions, complications in the pancreas, kidney, gallbladder, and changes in vision.
2. Liraglutide (Saxenda)
How It Works:
Similar to Semaglutide, Liraglutide (Saxenda) mimics the effects of a hormone (GLP01) in the body. This hormone is produced in the gut in response to food and regulates blood sugar levels as well as appetite. Liraglutide stimulates insulin release from the pancreas, which slows down the rate by which food moves through the body, promoting a feeling of fullness.
How is it Administered
Liraglutide (Saxenda) is self-administered by injection into the skin. The usual recommended dose is once daily, starting at 0.6 milligrams for the first week. This dose gradually increases over a month till it reaches 3 mg a day.
Side Effects
Side effects of liraglutide are usually mild, but can include abdominal pain, cramps, nausea, vomiting, and constipation. Serious side effects include raised heart beat, allergic reactions, diseases of the pancreas, gallbladder, kidney, and suicidal thoughts.
3. Tirzepatide (Mounjaro)
How it Works:
Tirzepatide injection is used to treat Type 2 diabetes and is used alongside diet and exercise to control blood sugar level. It is a glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) receptor as well as glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) agonist. It works by simultaneously targeting the two key hormone receptors, helping in weight loss and maintenance of cardiovascular health.
How is it Administered
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) weight loss medication is injected under the skin once a week for 4 weeks. The initial dose is 2.5 mg, and later increases to 4 mg or more as time passes. However, the amount of dose does not increase more than 15 mg once a week.
Side Effects
Side effects of Mounjaro include dehydration, depression, pancreatitis, diabetic retinopathy, kidney disease, gastroparesis, and Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 2. It is usually not recommended in combination with other medications, but is a requirement in case of weight loss
4. Phentermine (Suprenza)
How it Works
Phentermine (Suprenza) is a stimulant that is also an appetite suppressant, used for short-term weight loss regime in combination with diet regulation and exercise. It increases the release of norepinephrine neurotransmitters in the brain, which reduces craving and appetite. The release of these neurotransmitters also stimulates the burning of more calories, thus aiding in weight loss.
How is it Administered
Phentermine comes in the form of a disintegrating tablet or extended-release capsule. Although in most cases, it is recommended to take it once a day, a doctor can prescribe the exact times and dosage amount.
Side Effects
The side effects of Phentermine can be serious and life-threatening, such as increased blood pressure, heart palpitations, dizziness, tremors, chest pain, insomnia, shortness of breath, and restlessness.
5. Naltrexone HCL and Bupropion (Contrave)
How it Works
Naltrexone-bupropion is a weight loss medication and an opioid receptor antagonist. It has an antidepressant effect to please-award the brain and decrease cravings. Resultantly, it has been shown to reduce 5-10% of body weight in some patients. It may also increase the levels of energy in the body, thus aiding metabolic function and supporting weight loss.
How it is Administered
The recommended dosage of Contrave typically starts with one tablet (8 mg Naltrexone/ 90 mg Bupropion) taken orally every day for a week. This dose is then gradually increased to one tablet twice daily.
Side Effects
Serious side effects of Naltrexone-Bupropion are rare. However, common side effects of this weight loss medication include headache, nausea, dry mouth, vomiting, diarrhea, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure and muscle cramps. Serious side effects include seizures, suicidal thoughts, and allergic reactions.
6. Dulaglutide (Trulicity)
How it Works
Dulaglutide is used alongside a proper diet and exercise to control high blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. This weight loss medication is also used to lessen the chances of heart stroke and cardiovascular diseases in people with a previous high risk of heart disease. In addition, it works by causing the release of insulin in response to food intake, thereby giving a feeling of being full.
How is it Administered
Dulaglutide (brand name Trulicity) is recommended initially at 0.75 mg once weekly. However, its dose may increase to 1.5 mg once a week in case of additional glycemic control. If more high blood sugar level control is required, doctors may increase the dose to 3 mg once weekly after 4 weeks of 1.5 mg dose.
Side Effects
Common side effects of Dulaglutide (Trulicity) include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, decreased appetite, constipation, fatigue, indigestion, dizziness, and increased heart rate. Serious side effects include hypoglycemia, pancreatitis, kidney complications, and thyroid tumors.
7. Orilstat (Xenical)
How it Works
Orilstat (brand name Xenical) is a weight loss medication and a lipase inhibitor which is available in the form of a capsule and works by blocking the enzyme responsible for breaking down fats. Orilstat has the capacity to inhibit the absorption of fat by about 30%, thus leading to a decrease in calorie intake from dietary fats.
How is it Administered
Xenical is available in a 60 mg capsule, and doctors recommend to take 2 capsules (120 mg) orally three times a day with each meal. This dose may be taken during the meal or within an hour of completing the meal.
Side Effects
Common side effects of Orilstat are oily spotting or discharge from the rectum, abdominal discomfort, fatty stools, nausea, headache, back pain, and upper respiratory tract infections. Serious side effects may include blood in urine or stool, kidney problems, and liver complications.
8. Setmelanotide (Imcivree)
How it Works
Setmelaontide (brand name Imcivree) is a melanocortin-4 receptor agonist that is used for the treatment of certain genetic disorders. It is a recommended weight loss medication for the treatment of obesity, specifically proopiomelanocortin deficiency, proprotein subtilisin-kexin type 1 deficiency, and leptin receptor deficiency. It works by mimicking the hormone melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), which is responsible for regulating energy balance and body weight. This leads to reduced hunger and increased feeling of fullness.
How is it Administered
For individuals with proopiomelanocortin deficiency, the starting dose is usually 2.4 mg administered into the skin once daily. For people with leptin receptor deficiency, the initial dose is the same. However, the dose may be increased to 4.8 mg per day twice a day depending on the treatment.
Side Effects
Common side effects of setmelanotide include swollen or irritated skin at the site of injection, patches of dark skin, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, and discomfort.
Conclusion
Weight loss medications can be effective in reducing weight and avoiding obesity, which lead to cardiovascular diseases. Some medications such as orilstat reduce fat absorption, while others, such as setmelanotide target specific genetic disorders. However, before taking these medications, it is vital to consult a healthcare professional in order to ensure successful weight loss management.
