Popular Generic Medicines for Weight Loss
By Charlie ParsonsFeb 25, 20211267
Eating less and avoiding constant sitting are the essential health tips that help to keep bodyweight controlled. But obesity is a slow killer, and doctors do not just tell a severely obese patient to depend on exercise. They will prescribe weight loss pills to obese or overweight people.
Doctors prescribe weight loss pills to people if their BMI is 30 or higher. Obesity is also associated with other health issues such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Let’s discuss more weight loss or diet pills.
Popular Generic Medicines for Weight Loss
This medication is a prescription-based medicine for behavior change and a reduced-calorie diet treatment plan for obese patients. It is also used for overweight individuals. This drug acts as an analog of an intestinal hormone that signals the brain that the stomach is full. This drug is used in higher dosages for obese patients. The same drug is sold under the brain name Victoza to treat type-2 diabetes.
Common side effects of Liraglutide are Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, low blood pressure, and increased appetite. Severe side effects are raised heart rate, pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, kidney problems, and suicidal thoughts. It is relatively safe as it is an FDA-approved drug. It helps to lose 4% of your weight in 16 weeks. Later, your health professional may tell you to discontinue this drug.
- Bupropion and Naltrexone (Contrave)
Contrave is a combination drug that is actively composed of naltrexone hydrochloride and bupropion hydrochloride. It contains 8 milligrams of naltrexone, which is an opioid agonist, and 90 milligrams of bupropion, an aminoketone antidepressant drug. Both the drugs are FDA-approved that are present in an extended-release formula. Contrave is known to work on the hypothalamus, which is the appetite regulator. Therefore, increasing the dopamine level in the brain helps regulate the appetite. This drug is advised for 12 weeks and helps to reduce 5% of body weight.
Orlistat is also available as Alli, which is an over-the-counter medicine. Orlistat is an efficient lipase inhibitor that works to block fat absorption from the food that you consume. This drug causes some gastrointestinal side effects, including flatulence and loose stools. A low diet needs to be followed while you are taking this drug. In rare cases, Orlistat may cause liver damage. It is available under the brand name called Xenical, which is FDA-approved.
Make sure you consume 30% fewer daily calories; if you want to take a multivitamin, take those pills two hours before taking Orlistat. Because Orlistat can slow down the absorption of
Vitamins A, D, E, and K. Its common side effects are abdominal cramping, passing gas, leaking oily stool, increased bowel movements, and unable to control bowel movements. These side effects can get worse if you consume high-fat-containing food. A severe side effect is liver dysfunction, but it’s a rare case.
- Phentermine and topiramate
Phentermine and topiramate drugs work in a combination helps to lose weight with a reduced-calorie diet and regular exercise. This drug is also advised to overweight people who are dealing with health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disorder. The mechanism of phentermine and topiramate together is yet unknown. But researchers state Phentermine and topiramate work to curb your hunger.
It stops unwanted eating and helps you lose weight. The common side effects of phentermine and topiramate are tingling hands and feet, dizziness, altered sense of taste, insomnia, constipation, and dry mouth. Severe side effects are seizure/migraine drug topiramate. In rare cases, it may cause vision loss in some rare conditions. This drug should not be taken during pregnancy; besides, people with health disorders, such as glaucoma, hyperthyroidism, heart disease, or stroke.
It is recommended for 12 weeks, and it helps to reduce 3% of your weight.
Are They Safe?
One of the main concerns is whether Generic Medicines for weight loss are safe or not. Earlier weight loss drugs such as phentermine and fenfluramine were dangerous. However, phentermine is considered relatively safe in today’s time. These drugs are safe for severe weight gain, such as for obese people, that too for the short-term.
Generic weight-loss medicines do not make you lean and slim immediately; you cannot neglect the benefits of exercise and diet. Studies suggest that these medicines only work in union with lifestyle changes.
The amount of weight that people lose by taking weight loss pills varies for each people. People using weight loss pills do not lose more than 10% of their weight. It means 20 pounds are lost when a person weighs 200 pounds. Usually, people lose the most weight in the first three to six months.