Today, obesity is a big challenge for the world. Thousands of people are struggling with excess body weight and want to shed some. However, losing weight is not easy; it requires time, dedication, effort, physical activity, and diet control. Many people are reluctant to sacrifice their favourite food and do regular exercise. In that case, weight loss medication can help them lose weight faster and achieve the desired body shape without giving up their favourite foods or engaging in hardcore exercise.
Obesity not only affects your appearance but also causes several health issues, such as diabetes, hypertension, liver problems, etc. Even excessive body weight is associated with arthritis, inflammation, piles and other serious diseases. Now, the question is whether weight loss medications work or not. Are there any side effects? In this article, we’ll review how they work, their side effects, safety and effectiveness.
We also suggest that you should consult a doctor before starting prescription weight loss medication.
How Do Weight Loss Medications Work?
Basically, these medications are supplements that claim to work in the following ways:
- Reduce your appetite, so you eat fewer calories.
- Reduce nutrient absorption, such as fat, so you would have fewer calories.
- Speed up metabolism, so you can burn more calories.
- Make you feel fuller for a long time, so you tend to eat less.
Therefore, some weight loss medications are recommended to some individuals when they don’t achieve their weight loss goal from lifestyle change alone. However, the efforts in making behaviour changes to lose weight vary from person to person and with the help and right guidance, one can be successful in losing optimal weight and get a fit body. Even weight loss is possible through supplement pills but also combine lifestyle changes with a nutritionist or dietitian’s help.
The weight loss medications are approved by FDA for adults includes the following:
Stimulants: Reduce appetite by boosting norepinephrine levels in the central nervous system.
Side effects: There are side effects of these types of anti-obesity medications. You may experience increased heart rate/jitters, headache, insomnia, dry mouth.
Gastrointestinal agents : Halt the fat absorbing in your gut and by this, it reduces weight of the body.
Side effects: Side effects include GI discomfort, fecal incontinence, loose stools, vomiting, constipation, etc.
Second Generation Medications These medications are also known as Incretin-based therapy. They help in slowing down the quick stomach empties and keep you fuller for a long time. This reduces your hunger cues by minimising appetite and supporting satiety. These medications help in your calories intake, promote weight loss and blood sugar balance.
Side effects: They can have side effects, such as nausea, diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, abdominal pain.
What Research Says About Weight Loss Medications: Effectiveness, Side Effects and Weight Loss Management
If we talk about research on weight loss medications, it varies a lot on its effectiveness due to differences in medications, dose, population differences and study design. Short term data does not greatly support its impact on weight change while long term data are limited to a few because most of them were approved in the last decades. This means, we are simply not much aware how well the addition of these medications will support long weight loss management and behaviour change.
How Long To Take Weight Loss Medications For Sustainable Results
No medicine is a bullet magic for successfully changing the behaviour to weight loss. You have to be patient and wait for 6-12 months of working hard to make it sustainable. Meanwhile you also need to embrace healthy lifestyle changes.
