It's important to note that weight-loss drugs aren't for everyone. For example, prescription weight-loss drugs shouldn't be used if you're trying to get pregnant, are pregnant or are breast-feeding. Prescription weight-loss drugs approved for long-term use more than 12 weeks produce significant weight loss compared with placebo.
The combination of weight-loss medication and lifestyle changes results in greater weight loss than lifestyle changes do alone. That may seem like a modest amount. Mild side effects, such as nausea, constipation or diarrhea, are common. They may lessen over time. Rarely, serious side effects can occur. For this reason, it's important to thoroughly discuss treatment options with your doctor. Weight-loss drugs can be expensive and aren't always paid for by insurance. Ask your insurance company about coverage.
Many people gain back some of the weight they lost when they stop taking weight-loss drugs. However, adopting healthy lifestyle habits may help limit weight gain. How long you'll take a weight-loss drug depends on if the drug helps you lose weight. If you've lost enough weight to improve your health and you haven't had serious side effects, your doctor may suggest that you take the drug indefinitely.
Four weight-loss drugs have been approved by the U. Food and Drug Administration for long-term use:. Most prescription weight-loss drugs work by decreasing appetite or increasing feelings of fullness. Some do both. The exception is orlistat. It works by interfering with absorption of fat. Bupropion-naltrexone is a combination drug. Naltrexone is used to treat alcohol and opioid dependence.
Bupropion is an antidepressant and quit-smoking aid. Like all antidepressants, bupropion carries a warning about suicide risk. Bupropion-naltrexone can raise blood pressure, and monitoring is necessary at the start of treatment. Common side effects include nausea, headache and constipation. Liraglutide is also used to manage diabetes. Unlike other weight-loss drugs, liraglutide is given by injection. Nausea is a common complaint. Vomiting may limit its use. Orlistat is also available in a reduced-strength form without a prescription Alli.
Orlistat can cause bothersome gastrointestinal side effects, such as flatulence and loose stools. You need to follow a low-fat diet when taking this medicine. Developing and maintaining healthy eating habits and increasing physical activity may help you regain less weight or keep it off.
Federal physical activity guidelines PDF, You may need to do more than minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week to reach or maintain your weight-loss goal.
Some, but not all, insurance plans cover medications that treat overweight and obesity. Contact your insurance provider to find out if your plan covers these medications. The table below lists prescription drugs approved by the FDA for weight loss.
The FDA has approved five of these drugs—orlistat Xenical, Alli , phentermine-topiramate Qsymia , naltrexone-bupropion Contrave , liraglutide Saxenda , and semaglutide Wegovy —for long-term use. A sixth approved drug, setmelanotide IMCIVREE , is limited to people who have been diagnosed with one of three specific rare genetic disorders, which must be confirmed by genetic testing. You can keep taking these medications as long as you are benefiting from treatment and not experiencing serious side effects.
Some weight management medications that curb appetite are approved by the FDA for short-term use only, for up to 12 weeks. Although some health care professionals prescribe them for longer periods, not many research studies have looked at how safe and effective they are for long-term use. Never take weight management medications if you are pregnant. If you are planning to get pregnant, you should also avoid these medications, as some of them may harm the fetus. By choosing an off-label medication to treat overweight and obesity, your health care professional may prescribe.
You should feel comfortable asking whether your health care professional is prescribing a medication that is not approved for treating overweight and obesity. Before using a medication, learn all you need to know about it. Researchers are currently studying several new medications and combinations of medications in animals and people.
Researchers are working to identify safer and more effective medications to help people who are overweight or have obesity lose weight and maintain a healthy weight for a long time.
The NIDDK conducts and supports clinical trials in many diseases and conditions, including overweight and obesity. The trials look to find new ways to prevent, detect, or treat disease and improve quality of life.
Clinical trials—and other types of clinical studies —are part of medical research and involve people like you. When you volunteer to take part in a clinical study, you help health care professionals and researchers learn more about disease and improve health care for people in the future. Researchers are studying many aspects of prescription medications to treat overweight or obesity , such as. Find out if clinical studies are right for you. Griffin P. Rodgers explaining the importance of participating in clinical trials.
You can view a filtered list of clinical studies on prescription medications to treat overweight and obesity that are federally funded, open, and recruiting at www. You can expand or narrow the list to include clinical studies from industry, universities, and individuals; however, the NIH does not review these studies and cannot ensure they are safe.
Always talk with your health care provider before you participate in a clinical study. The NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public.
It may also be used to reduce migraine symptoms. And they may also stimulate appetite, says Nouhavandi, who notes that phenelzine Nardil causes the most weight gain in this class of drugs. If this is a concern for you, ask your doctor if there are alternative options. Namely, because the hormone helps your body absorb the glucose from your bloodstream. If you have type 1 diabetes , you will need to take insulin.
Yet if you have type 2 diabetes, lifestyle changes will help improve insulin function, and you may be able to use diet and exercise to lower or eventually eliminate your insulin dosage, says Dr.
Another common class of diabetes medication , sulfonylureas , reduce blood sugar levels by 20 percent but also cause a weight gain of about four to five pounds on average, notes a study published August in the Archives of Medical Science. Sulfonylureas include gliclazide Diamicron and glibenclamide Glynase. These drugs stimulate pancreatic beta cells to release insulin.
In the end, they cause weight gain in a similar way as an injectable insulin. There are diabetes medications , including metformin or SGLT2 inhibitors, that also promote weight loss or are weight neutral, says Howard. These medications can be used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. One in particular — olanzapine Zyprexa is associated with the highest potential to gain weight compared with other antipsychotics , says Howard.
Howard says lurasidone Latuda and ziprasidone Geodon , two other antipsychotics, have a lower chance of causing weight gain. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Health Topics.
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