There are studies that show that the success or failure of a diet depends on it. In terms of importance, diet is 8 and exercise is 2. That's why 8% of the reasons why dieters always fail is 'appetite'.
That's why dieters often take appetite suppressants. Appetite suppressants are medications that literally reduce your appetite so that you don't want to eat.
That's why dieters often take appetite suppressants. Appetite suppressants are medications that literally reduce your appetite so that you don't want to eat.
However, appetite suppressants are drugs that can cause significant adverse reactions if used incorrectly. In March of this year, it was reported that a woman who had taken phentermine-based drugs in the form of appetite suppressants suffered mental illness as a side effect. As such, complaints of suffering from serious mental illnesses such as delirium and hallucinations after taking appetite suppressants are sometimes raised.
What kind of drug is an appetite suppressant? Currently, drugs used as appetite suppressants for the treatment of obesity in Korea can be divided into four main types according to their line of action and ingredients.
First, serotonin-based drugs
These drugs are fluoxetine, which is part of the antidepressant class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The typical trade name of appetite suppressants using fluoxetine is Purozac. Generic drugs sold in Korea include furopine, antipurees, fucetin, selectin, and danatech.
It is classified as an antidepressant and is mainly prescribed for bulimia nervosa. It is a mechanism that blocks the reuptake of serotonin in the nerve endings of the brain and increases the concentration of serotonin. Compared to psychotropic drugs such as phentermine and phendimetrazine, which will follow, it is treated as a safer appetite suppressant because it is less habit-forming. Therefore, it is used as a first-line anti-obesity drug.
It was developed as a treatment for depression and is prescribed off-label, so there are no clinical trials for dieting. But that doesn't mean it's harmful. It is a drug that has completed clinical trials as a drug for depression and has been evaluated for human harm. Also, if you use it for appetite suppression, you don't have to worry too much about side effects because you use less than the dose used to treat depression.
If you're taking fluoxetine-based medications, you don't have to abstain from alcohol. It doesn't cause any health problems. However, it is best not to drink it at the beginning of taking it, as it is necessary to observe the effect of the drug on the body.
In addition, people who are taking cardiovascular medications should inform their doctor before prescribing fluoxetine medication. Because fluoxetine is responsible for raising blood pressure, it can interfere with the action of cardiovascular medications and affect treatment.
In addition, there are studies that show that combining herbal treatment with fluoxetine has a risk of increasing the likelihood of fluoxetine adverse reactions.
Second, noradrenaline-based drugs
Many of the drugs used as appetite suppressants belong to this class. By inhibiting the reuptake of noradrenaline, it enhances adrenaline stimulation and obtains the effect of appetite suppression.
Noradrenaline drugs are divided into two main categories according to their ingredients. First, there are appetite suppressants that contain phentermine. Dietamine, Adipex, Furimin, Metamex, Pestin, Panvesi, Pettin, and Hutermin are some of the appetite suppressants that contain phentermine. These drugs are classified as antipsychotic drugs and are usually characterized by their butterfly shape. Although it is less habit-forming than the phendimetrazine preparations that followed, it is recommended not to take it for more than three months, as long-term use can lead to tolerance problems.
In addition, it is also an ingredient that has shown excellent efficacy as a result of clinical trials to confirm the effect of dieting. When the weight was measured for 12 weeks, the phentermine group and the placebo group lost an average of 7.94 kg (up to 15.25 kg) and the placebo group lost an average of 0.91 kg (up to 6.79 kg). The proportion of weight loss of more than 5% compared to the previous body weight was 73.6% in the phentermin group and 15.1% in the placebo group.
And alcohol and phentermine are opposites. Drinking alcohol while taking phentermine can cause serious side effects. This is because phentermine is a stimulant, while alcohol is an inhibitor. Phentermine acts on the central nervous system to suppress appetite and stimulates other functions, enhancing energy activity and helping with weight loss. Alcohol, on the other hand, suppresses the main functions of the central nervous system. As such, phentermine and alcohol have different mechanisms of action, and when taken together, the interaction of the drugs can lead to negative reactions.
Not only that, but alcohol also reduces the efficacy of phentermine. Phentermine stays there more than twice as long when the body's pH balance is alkaline. However, when we consume alcohol, our bodies become acidic. As a result, phentermine does not work as well as it should. If you really need to consume alcohol while taking phentermine, you should consult your doctor. It will tell you the maximum amount of alcohol you can consume with relative safety.
Appetite suppressants based on phendimetrazine
Phendimethrazine is a sympathomimetic drug, similar to amphetamines (a type of stimulant) and classified as an antipsychotic. It's the most habit-forming drug and it's easy to develop a tolerance, so it's usually recommended that you don't take it for more than a month. There is also a high risk of adverse events.There have also been reports of severe brain damage caused by adverse drug reactions, resulting in IQ drops to 61. For this reason, the FDA prohibits the use of phendimetrazine in people under the age of 17.
Instead, the effect is the most powerful. As a result of a clinical trial on obese patients with a BMI of 27~30 or more who could not diet alone, it is known that a noticeable reduction in appetite was obtained.
However, not everyone can take phendimetrazine. It cannot be prescribed to patients with hyperthyroidism, patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, and patients with glaucoma. This is because taking phendimetrazine can cause an increase in blood flow and an increase in blood pressure, which can worsen the above conditions. In the same vein, you should not take monoamine oxidase inhibitors while taking phendimetrazine and within 14 days of taking it. This is because there is a risk of high blood pressure.
It's also forbidden to drink alcohol, as it can cause negative reactions.
Third, glutamate-based drugs
These drugs are topiramate ingredients. There are Topam tablets, Topamed, and Topiramate. It is also used as an epilepsy medicine and a migraine treatment. It is known to be effective in weight loss by increasing basal metabolism when taken, and it has begun to be used as an obesity drug in an off-label form like serotonin-based drugs. However, it is not yet known how weight loss proceeds.
It's important to keep the dose of topiramate drugs to a minimum. In general, it's not recommended to use more than 50 mg per day. As is the case with most medications, the risk of adverse reactions increases with higher doses. It's also important to drink plenty of fluids when taking topiramate medications. Otherwise, it's known that there is a high risk of developing stones.
Fourth, drugs with other ingredients or a combination of two or more ingredients
In the United States, there are drugs that are considered to be the "three major obesity treatments." There are Belvic from Arena Pharmaceuticals in the U.S., Contrave from Orexogen Therapeutics in the U.S., and Cusimia from Beavers in the U.S. Belvic and Cusimia in 2012, and Contrave in 2014. Currently, only Belvic and Contrave are available in Korea. Cusimia is in the process of launching in Korea. Before it can be commercialized, it must go through the domestic clinical trial stage.
Dr. Kim Si-wan said that several FDA-approved appetite suppressants have recently been released that can be prescribed for up to two years. Preferably, it is recommended to consult with your doctor and take an appetite suppressant that has established long-term prescription safety.
First, let's talk about Belvic, an appetite suppressant based on lorcaserin. It was launched in February 2015 in Korea, and there are clinical results that show that it is safe when observed for two years. Even if it is used for a long time, it does not cause problems such as insomnia, cardiovascular-related side effects, or habit-forming, so it is considered relatively safe.
It also has an excellent appetite suppressant effect. The results of the clinical trial showed an average weight loss of 5.8 kg. During the same period, the placebo group lost an average of 2.2 kg. When the drug was taken for an additional year after weight loss, the effect of maintaining the weight lost was also better than that of the placebo group. In addition, it has been studied positively in the group taking Belvik to improve blood pressure levels and high blood pressure.
Contrave of bupropion + naltrexone ingredient
Bupropion plays a role in reducing appetite by inhibiting the reuptake of dopamine in the hypothalamus, and naltrexone plays a role in suppressing food cravings by antagonizing opioid receptors in the midbrain translation system. Contrave is a mixture of two drugs, and it has been reported that when taken together, it is 2.5~5.5 times more effective than the prescription alone.
As a result of a clinical trial in which 793 people took it along with diet and exercise therapy for 56 weeks, the weight loss effect of 9.2~11.4kg was found in the contrav group. On the other hand, in the placebo group, only an average weight loss of about 7.3 kg was achieved, proving its anti-obesity effect. In addition, the proportion of people who succeeded in losing more than 10% of their weight was more than twice as high in the test group that took the drug in combination with diet and exercise therapy than in the test group that received diet and exercise therapy alone.
Foods that should be avoided when taking Contrave are fatty foods and alcohol. Contrave has the function of storing fat from fatty foods in the body in excess of what is necessary. In addition, studies have shown that drinking alcohol while taking alcohol increases the risk of epilepsy or seizures.
Cusimia, a combination of phentermine and topiramate, is expected to take several more years to be commercialized. In the past, it took more than two years for Belvic to be released to the market after a domestic rights agreement.
In past clinical trials, Cusimia has been shown to be significantly effective in improving cholesterol and triglyceride levels and blood pressure levels in obese or overweight patients. In the trial group, the weight loss rate was about 10%.
Appetite suppressants have a high incidence of tolerance and side effects. Caution is required, especially if it is abused for a long period of time at high doses, as it is easy to end up in a state where the drug does not respond at all. In addition, if you rely solely on appetite suppressants when dieting, it is easy to have a yo-yo phenomenon the moment you stop taking the medicine. Even during diets with appetite suppressants, healthy eating habits and exercise habits are essential.
Appetite suppressants are an easy way to control your appetite, which is the biggest enemy of dieting. However, like all drugs, appetite suppressants are medicines when used well, but they are poisonous when used incorrectly. It's important to remember that easy choices can ruin your body.
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