Being overweight is a common problem among Americans. In the United States, 66 percent of adults are overweight, MedlinePlus states. Eating healthy foods, being physically active and drinking non-sugary beverages are the most effective and least risky measures in losing weight. However, some patients may need a weight-loss drug if their doctors deem it appropriate. Most prescription weight-loss drugs fall in the category of appetite suppressants.
Phentermine
Phentermine, most commonly known as Adipex, is a central-nervous stimulant that triggers the hypothalamus, a brain region that controls several functions including the release of norepinephrine. The body releases the norepinephrine hormone when it's under attack or excited. As a result, it triggers a cascade of physiological reactions including appetite suppression. In effect, phentermine tricks the body into believing that it needs to suppress the appetite to cope with the threat from the environment. The side effects of phentermine include increased blood pressure and heart rate, sleeplessness and nervousness, according to the Weight-Control Information Network, a branch of the National Institutes of Health. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration only approved phentermine for short-term obesity treatment, as all clinical trials of phentermine were short. Thus, phentermine shouldn't be used more than 12 weeks, MayoClinic.com warns.
Orlistat
Orlistat, marketed as Xenical or Alli, doesn't suppress the appetite. Instead, it inhibits lipase, an enzyme in the intestine that breaks down fat. When lipase is inhibited, dietary fat can't be digested and therefore can't be absorbed. The side effects of orlistat are intestinal cramps, gas and oily spotting, according to MayoClinic.com. A study led by Dr. Jean-Pierre Chanoine and subsequently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has shown that orlistat is effective in managing weight in overweight adolescents.
Diethylpropion
Diethylpropion is also known as Durad, Tenuate and Tanpil. It's a central-nervous stimulant similar to phentermine. The medicine is used as a short-term treatment to help patients lose weight. Diethylpropion may be habit forming like all central-nervous stimulants and shouldn't be taken often or for a long period, PubMed.gov cautions. When treatment with diethylpropion is discontinued, the weight previously lost tends to comes back. For long-term effects of weight loss, diethylpropion treatment should be combined with eating healthily and staying physically-active.
References
- MedlinePlus: Weight Control
- Weight-Control Information Network: Prescription Medications for the Treatment of Obesity,
- MayoClinic.com: Weight Loss: Is Phentermine a Good Option for Weight Loss?
- MayoClinic.com: Weight-Loss Drugs: Can a Prescription Help You Lose Weight?
- Journal of the American Medical Association: Effect of Orlistat on Weight and Body Composition in Obese Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- PubMed.gov: The Current Status of Antiobesity Drugs
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