Byetta is the brand name for the drug exenatide, a diabetes medication taken by injection. It may improve blood sugar regulation in adults with type 2 diabetes when combined with a diet and exercise program. It is usually prescribed as an additional therapy when the patient has trouble controlling blood sugar even with medication. Weight loss is a side effect for some people, but the effect is modest.
Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes involves cells not responding to insulin effectively, rather than a lack of insulin production by the pancreas, as is the case with type 1 diabetes. This results in cells not removing enough sugar from the blood, causing high blood sugar. High blood sugar is associated with several serious health problems. Obese people have an increased chance of developing type 2 diabetes, which is one reason obesity is a health risk.
Function
Byetta is a synthetic form of a protein that occurs in the saliva of gila monster lizards. It imitates the action of the hormone incretin, which stimulates more insulin production. Byetta cannot be used in place of insulin for people with type 1 diabetes.
Additional Effects
This medication slows the movement of food from the stomach into the small intestine, which helps people feel full sooner and longer, explains MayoClinic.com. This may lead to eating less. However, using Byetta in the hope of weight loss is not likely to be very effective. In clinical studies as summarized by eMedTV, people taking Byetta lost around 2 to 6 lbs. over 30 weeks, and those who lost the most were also taking metformin.
Significance
Byetta is advantageous because many other medications for treating type 2 diabetes, particularly sulfonylureas, tend to cause weight gain. Since Byetta typically has the opposite effect, even if the effect is very small, it can be a helpful option for overweight people with type 2 diabetes.
Side Effects
Other side effects besides modest weight loss are possible when taking Byetta. The most common ones include indigestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, headache and jittery feelings. Byetta use can lead to hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, when taken with other diabetes medications. Some people experience an allergic reaction to Byetta. Some users have developed kidney problems when taking Byetta, and it can cause pancreatitis.
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