Available in lower dose without prescription (Alli)
Approved for: Adults and children ages 12 years and older
How it works: Works in your gut to reduce the amount of fat your body absorbs from the food you eat
Blocks the absorption of 25 - 30% of the fat calories
Does not affect satiety hormones
Common side effects:
diarrhea
gas
leakage of oily stools
stomach pain
Warning: Rare cases of severe liver injury have been reported
· Avoid taking with cyclosporine NIH external link
Take a multivitamin pill daily to make sure you get enough of certain vitamins that your body may not absorb from the
food you eat
naltrexone-bupropion
Also Called: Contrave
Approved for: Adults
How it works: A mix of two medications: naltrexone, which is used to treat alcohol and drug dependence, and
bupropion, which is used to treat depression or help people quit smoking
May make you feel less hungry or full sooner
Common side effects:
constipation
diarrhea
dizziness
Warning: Do not use if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, seizures, or a history of anorexia or bulimia nervosa
Do not use if you are dependent on opioid pain medications or are withdrawing from drugs or alcohol
Do not use if you are taking bupropion (Wellbutrin, Zyban)
May increase suicidal thoughts or actions
liraglutide
Also Called: (Saxenda)Given daily by injection
Approved for: Adults and children ages 12 years and older
How it works: Mimics a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) that targets areas of the brain that regulate
appetite and food intake
At a lower dose under a different name, Victoza, this drug was FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes
Common side effects:
nausea
diarrhea
constipation
abdominal pain
headache
increased heart rate
Warning: May increase the chance of developing pancreatitis
Has been found to cause a rare type of thyroid tumor in animals
semaglutide
Also Called: Wegovy Given weekly by injection
Approved for: Adults and children ages 12 years and older
How it works: Mimics a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) that targets areas of the brain that regulate
appetite and food intake
Under different names and dosages, this drug was FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes as an injectable medication
(Ozempic) and as an oral pill (Rybelsus)
, Solution 2024/2025
Pepper
Common side effects:
nausea
diarrhea
vomiting
constipation
abdominal (stomach) pain
headache
fatigue
Warning:
Do not use in combination with other semaglutide-containing products, other GLP-1 receptor agonists, or other products
intended for weight loss, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, or herbal products
May increase the chance of developing pancreatitis
Has been found to cause a rare type of thyroid tumor in animals
phentermine-topiramate
Also Called: (Qsymia)
Approved for: Adults and children ages 12 years and older
How it works: A mix of two medications: phentermine, which lessens your appetite, and topiramate, which is used to
treat seizures or migraine headaches
May make you less hungry or feel full sooner
Advantages: Offers robust weight loss (>5%) and there is long term data about usage available)
Disadvantage is that it is expensive and and teratogenic (dangerous to an embroyo)
Common side effects:
constipation
dizziness
dry mouth
taste changes, especially with carbonated beverages
tingling of your hands and feet
trouble sleeping
Warnings: Do not use if you have glaucoma or hyperthyroidism
Tell your health care professional if you have had a heart attack or stroke, abnormal heart rhythm, kidney disease, or
mood problems
May lead to birth defects—do not take phentermine-topiramate if you are pregnant or are planning a pregnancy
Do not take if you are breastfeeding
setmelanotide
, Solution 2024/2025
Pepper
Also Called: (IMCIVREE)Available by injection only
Approved for: People ages 6 years and older with obesity due to three specific rare genetic conditions only
How it works:
May reduce appetite and increase feeling of fullness
May increase resting metabolism (how the body burns calories)
Although it can help a person lose weight, it does not treat the genetic defects
Common side effects:
injection site reaction
skin darkening
nausea
disturbance in sexual arousal
depression and suicidal ideation
risk of serious adverse reactions in neonates and infants with low birthweight, owing to benzyl alcohol preservative
Warnings:
Only for people with any of these ultra-rare genetic diseases, confirmed by genetic testing
proopiomelanocortin (POMC) deficiency
proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 1 (PCSK1) deficiency
leptin receptor (LEPR) deficiency
Do not use while pregnant or breastfeeding
Prevalence of Obesity
Obesity is a chronic disease that affects more than 4 in 10 adults in the United States
nearly 1 in 10 Americans have severe obesity.
Who would benefit from weight loss medication?
* adults with a BMI of 30 or greater
* a BMI of 27 or greater, and you have weight-related health problems such as high blood pressure NIH external link or
type 2 diabetes
Weight loss medications for pediatrics
FDA approved 4 weight medications for children ages 12 and older:
1) orlistat (Xenical)
2) liraglutide (Saxenda)
3) phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia)
4) semaglutide (Wegovy).
----
5) A fifth prescription medication, setmelanotide (IMCIVREE),7 is approved by the FDA for children ages 6 years and
older who have rare genetic disorders causing obesity.
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