We are focusing today’s discussion on the category of weight loss and weight management, specifically, hunger suppressant pills. Such pills, also called appetite suppressants, are known formally in the medical community as anorectics. Some are marketed as such, so you may already have heard of a few that we will be mentioning today. However, there are many prescription drugs available with effective hunger suppressing qualities that the manufactures of which are not allowed to advertise. A pharmaceutical company can only advertise a drug for the treatment of a condition that it was originally intended for. So if a company submitted a drug for approval to the FDA for the treatment for the common cold, but it was later found that the drug was also great for treating premature baldness as well, the drug company could only market the drug for treatment of colds. The drug in question would need to be resubmitted for approval and go through the process of testing all over again so that it could be approved and marketed for an additional purpose. Since pharmaceutical companies are prohibited from marketing a drug for any other purpose than what it was originally intended for, the secondary benefits (like suppressing hunger) of these drugs often remain unknown to consumers. Yet while a company is limited in how it markets these drugs, it is perfectly legal for a doctor to prescribe them for purposes other than what is printed on the label of the pills. This practice is called off-label use. Lets now take a look at some of the options available.
Commonly known Hunger Suppressant Pills
These are the pills that are specifically intended for suppressing appetite, and should you request a prescription for one of these drug, your doctor will immediately understand that your intention is to lose weight quickly. Usually classified as psychotropic drug, these pharmaceuticals effect how the brain processes signals that regulate appetite. Many of these drugs have been banned or are difficult to obtain prescriptions for due to their adverse side effects. The drug phentermine is for instance, has been associated with a great increase in heart valve disease, so much so that one of the drugs that was based on phentermine (fen-phen) had to be pulled from the market. The drug Orlistat (sold in the U.S. as Alli) works differently in the fact that it actually reduces fat absorption from the foods that we eat. While the product does work, there are many who question whether the drug it worth taking. Weight loss statistics showing the effectiveness of Alli are typically measured over the course of a year – users lose on average about 5% of their body fat over the course of a year. So it certainly seems that this is by no means a quick weight loss option. Also, the drug is well known for producing a lose, oily bowel movement and is associated with severe liver and kidney damage. (1)
Less Well Known Weight Loss Drugs:
Something many people don’t realize, is that the pills commonly prescribed for ADD (attention deficit disorder) also have the secondary effect of producing weight loss in many individuals. This side effect is well known and doctors often have to monitor the weight of a patient with ADD to make sure that they are not losing too much weight after starting the medication since the pills begin to suppress hunger in the patients taking them. The majority of ADD drugs are based on methylphenidate (Ritalin) and come in a variety of immediate and slow release formulas. The two pharmaceuticals best known for their anorectic properties are Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) and Methamphetamine (Desoxyn). Desoxyn is very difficult to get a prescription for due to it’s abuse potential as well as its social stigma (it’s basically the same thing as crystal meth, only in clinical grade). Dexedrine also carries with it a very heavy abuse potential, and many who have used it have struggled with withdrawal symptoms when trying to discontinue using it. Dexedine has great rapid weight loss potential and it was commonly abused in dieting circles back in the 1970’s. The problem with Dexedrine, and in fact all ADD medications, is the fact that they are based on amphetamines. The body quickly builds up a tolerance to stimulates like amphetamines, so the rapid loss fat loss is only temporary and what you are left with is all the unpleasant and potentially dangerous side effects of the medications, not to mention a potential addiction.