Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
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Table of Contents
- 1. Do Weight Loss Pills Really Work
- 2. Phentermine
- 3. Diethylproprion
- 4. CONTRAVE
- 5. Metformin/Glucophage
- 6. To Sum it Up
Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
This question has probably been asked in your friend group more than once. In this article, I’ll break down HOW weight loss pills work and skip all the complicated verbiage. My goal is to help you understand exactly what they are, how they work, what they do, and what they don’t do, and help empower you to decide if weight loss drugs are a good decision for you.
I will caveat all this by saying that this article is not a substitute for having a conversation with your provider. I will not be going into all the risks and contraindications of each pill. That is up to you to talk about with your provider. Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
The last thing I want everyone to understand loud and clear is that weight loss pills should be used in conjunction with lifestyle changes, diet, and exercise. These are not magic pills. They are aids that will support you and make losing weight easier, but they won’t make you lose all the weight if taken by themselves. Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
Phentermine
Classification Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
Phentermine is similar to an amphetamine due to its stimulating effects and is a powerful appetite suppressant. It is an oral prescription that you can get from your provider. However, this is a controlled substance drug, so you can’t pick it up over the counter. Instead, you’ll need to see a provider and review your health history to obtain a script for it.
How it works Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
Phentermine works by activating your parasympathetic (fight or flight) response. Similar to caffeine, but much more powerful. When your parasympathetic system is activated, your digestion slows, your heart rate speeds up, and you may notice that you perspire a bit more. This and many chemical reactions in the body help you survive in a fight or flight situation.
When our bodies are parasympathetic, we tend to have a lower appetite and higher alertness. Many of our clients report feeling happier and more productive while taking phentermine. This allows them to achieve a necessary calorie deficit to lose fat by eating less and becoming more active.
You can read more about this parasympathetic response in our blog, “Can You Gain Fat From Stress?”, which details what happens during the fight or flight response.
Does it work? Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
Phentermine works because it helps us reduce our appetite and consume fewer calories and works as a stimulant to help us burn more calories. This helps us achieve a calorie deficit from our Total Daily Energy Expenditure required for weight loss.
Best practices Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
It is important to remind readers that phentermine works best when used in conjunction with a positive diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes. Suppose you rely on the drugs alone and do not make any other changes to lose weight. Then you may have a higher chance of gaining the weight back.
Due to its stimulating effects on the body, phentermine is best used over shorter durations (12 weeks or less) to prevent negative adaptations to its effects.
Our provider can answer more questions you may have about this drug and help you understand if it is right for you. There are many individual considerations to think about with any controlled substance. We can supervise and support you if you integrate this into your weight loss plan.
Diethylpropion
Classification Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
Like phentermine, diethylpropion is also a controlled substance, so you’ll need to get it from your provider to ensure it is used safely. Diethylpropion is also chemically similar to amphetamines and other stimulants.
How it works Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
There is a theory that diethylpropion indirectly raises leptin levels in the brain, signaling satiety and fullness. In addition, we know that diethylpropion is a potent appetite suppressant that works similarly to phentermine by activating the parasympathetic system.
It is also theorized that due to increasing levels of certain chemicals, this drug helps block a chemical messenger called neuropeptide Y. Neuropeptide Y helps us initiate hunger and appetite, slows down energy expended, and increases fat storage. With diethylpropion blocking this neuropeptide, we will see the inverse effects.
Does it work? Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
Diethylpropion works because it helps us reduce our appetite, consume fewer calories, and works as a stimulant to help us burn more calories. This helps us achieve a calorie deficit from our Total Daily Energy Expenditure required for weight loss.
Best practices
Like anything we put in our bodies, diethylpropion has a list of pros and cons. Best practices are to follow the provider’s instructions and be honest with them in your appointments.
Because this drug can interact with other drugs (As can any drugs on this list), It is essential to be honest about everything you are currently taking or have taken, as well as any health history or current conditions.
CONTRAVE
Classification Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
CONTRAVE is not a controlled substance. It is classified as an anorexiant, meaning it is an appetite suppressant. It contains a combination of naltrexone and bupropion. Naltrexone is classified as an opiate antagonist (meaning it will block specific chemical signals), and bupropion is classified as an antidepressant.
How it works Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
Naltrexone and bupropion work together to help individuals curve hunger from chemical imbalances and food cravings. The CONTRIVE website urges readers to consider using this drug to help overcome emotional eating.
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Does it work? Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
CONTRIVE works because it helps us reduce our appetite and consume fewer calories. This helps us achieve a calorie deficit from our Total Daily Energy Expenditure required for weight loss.
Best practices
Similar to phentermine or diethylpropion, CONTRIVE is best used in conjunction with diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes. CONTRIVE is not a stimulant, but it is still not recommended to take near bedtime.
You will want to talk to a provider to get the best results and ensure this is a good choice for you. They can supervise and support your progress and ensure you follow best practices per your individual needs.
Metformin/Glucophage
Classification Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
Metformin is generic for the brand name Glucophage. They are essentially the same but have minor differences that can make one preferred over the other. These are not considered controlled substances; however, you will still need to get a prescription for them. They both belong to a classification called antidiabetics.
How it works Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
As the name of their classification implies, Metformin/Glucophage works to help regulate blood sugar. This can be used for people with diabetes, pre-diabetes, or a high risk of developing diabetes.
They work by reducing baseline blood sugar levels overall, as well as blood sugar after meals. As a result, they reduce sugar absorption and production, making the body more sensitive to insulin. Excess sugar intake is one of the main reasons people gain weight.
The stomach breaks down sugars in your food when eating. During this process, the pancreas produces insulin, which helps deliver the sugar molecules from your stomach to your cells. See Figure 1 for this demonstration.
Suppose you do not have enough insulin to deliver the sugar (blood sugar or glucose) from the bloodstream to the cells. The then unused sugar left in your bloodstream will become fat. How much sugar a cell needs is dependent on how active you are. If you consume more sugar and calories than you need, it will lead to fat gain. However, insulin production depends on how much sugar a cell can absorb. Your cell might need the sugar but doesn’t have enough insulin to get it. See Figure 2.
These drugs are also often used to treat other issues by being off-label. When a provider prescribes a drug for off-label use, it simply means that the FDA has not approved the drug for those uses. Even if many providers and medical professionals worldwide find it beneficial to treat the issues they are prescribing it for. Some of these off-label uses include PCOS, gestational diabetes, and weight gain.
Does it work? Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
Metformin/Glucophage works by regulating blood sugar and ensuring that the sugar consumed is adequately absorbed by the cells. This helps us achieve proper levels and prevents excess sugar from converting into fat.
Best practices Do Weight Loss Pills Work?
As you can probably guess from the rest of this article, the best practice for this drug is to utilize it in conjunction with diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes. While also working under the care and supervision of a medical provider.
To sum it up
- The weight loss pills we prescribe at our clinic work for various reasons.
- Phentermine is a stimulant and an appetite suppressant that works by helping you eat less and be more active to create a calorie deficit to lose weight.
- Diethylpropion is also a stimulant and an appetite suppressant that works by helping you eat less and be more active to create a calorie deficit to lose weight.
- CONTRAVE is an appetite suppressant best used to help manage emotional eating so you can create a calorie deficit and lose weight.
- Metformin/Glucophage is an anti-diabetic that helps manage blood sugar levels and prevents excess sugar in the bloodstream from being converted to fat.
- Best practices for all drugs, including weight loss pills, incorporate diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes together. Working under a medical provider’s care and support is necessary to ensure you remain in good health. You should always be honest with your provider about your past and current health history, medications, supplements, and dietary choices.
Are you interested in weight loss pills to help kick start your positive change towards a healthier lifestyle? Our clinic has been around for over 40 years and has helped thousands of people change their lives. Our clinic provides medical weight loss solutions making it easier than ever to overcome the barriers that have been holding you back from achieving success. Call us today to get started! 801-293-3100