Most people know that to lose weight quickly and effectively you have to eat a low calorie diet, in addition to exercise. There is also a wide range of medications that claim to help people in the weight loss process.
One of those many medicines is phentermine . Over time it has been shown to be able to help you lose weight when combined with a strict diet and physical activity. However, like most drugs, phentermine is not entirely free of side effects.
Is Phentermine An Effective Weight Loss Remedy ? With the help of the following studies you will be able to draw your conclusions.
What is Phentermine based on?
Phentermine is a very popular drug, prescribed by doctors for weight loss. It was approved in 1959 by the FDA for a short-term consumption of up to 12 weeks for people over 16 years of age. (Curry, 2017).
In 1990, phentermine was used in conjunction with other weight loss medications. This combination of drugs was called as fen-phen. After reports of significant heart problems in users, the FDA withdrew the other two drugs used in the treatment (fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine) from the market. (Connolly et al., 1997).
Your doctor may prescribe phentermine if you are obese, which means that your body mass index (BMI) is greater than or equal to 30. It may also be prescribed if you are overweight with a BMI greater than or equal to 27 and have at least one related condition. with weight, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes (Saunders et al., 2018).
Phentermine functions
This medication belongs to a class of medications called “anorexics,” also known as appetite suppressants.
Taking phentermine helps to suppress or reduce appetite , which limits the number of calories people consume. Over time, this can lead to people losing weight.
While the exact mechanisms behind phentermine’s appetite-reducing effects remain unclear, the drug is believed to work by increasing levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. (Pilitsi et al., 2019).
Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers of the human body and include norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine. When the levels of these three chemicals increase, the feeling of hunger decreases markedly.
Phentermine benefits
1. Helps reduce weight
Average weight loss on phentermine is 5% of initial body weight. But, for 12 weeks, it can be as high as 10%. This equates to a weight loss of 4.5 to 9 kg for a 90.7 kg person (Haddock et al., 2002).
Phentermine has been shown to be effective for weight loss on its own, but it can work much better when combined with topiramate. Topiramate is a drug that has been used alone to treat seizures, but it has the same properties as phentermine that helps reduce appetite. (Xiong and Gadde, 2014).
2. Helps fight eating disorders
The combination of phentermine and topiramate can help combat some disorders in people with eating disorders, such as binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa.
These disorders are characterized by eating large amounts of food, often quickly and to the point of discomfort. They are also related to a feeling of losing control during food consumption, as well as feelings of shame or guilt after eating.
Recommended Phentermine dosage
Before 2016, the recommended doses of phentermine were 15, 30 and 37.5 mg. However, since it is recommended that doctors prescribe the lowest effective dose, the FDA approved an 8 mg formulation in 2016, which can be taken at least three times a day.
People should avoid consuming the last dosage too late in the day to prevent insomnia or difficulty falling asleep.
Phentermine and topiramate dosage
This drug is available in four doses, ranging from 3.75 to 15 mg of phentermine and 23 to 92 mg of topiramate.
Side effects of phentermine
Phentermine alone is designed for short-term use), as there are no long-term studies on the safety of this drug, but the FDA has approved phentermine in combination with topiramate for long-term use, as the dosage of the two ingredients is less than the maximum dose of the individual drugs. (Kiortsis, 2013).
The most commonly reported side effects include the following:
- Dry mouth.
- Trouble sleeping
- Dizziness.
- Heart palpitations
- Redness of the skin.
- Fatigue.
- Constipation.
- Irritability.
You should not take phentermine if you have heart disease, hyperthyroidism, glaucoma, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Also, it should not be prescribed in combination with monoamine oxidase inhibitors, a class of medications used to treat depression.
How to promote weight loss
While phentermine can be a powerful weight loss aid, the only proven way to lose weight and keep it off long-term is to cultivate healthy lifestyle behaviors, including the following habits:
- A reduced calorie diet: If you are overweight, eat 300 to 500 fewer calories per day. A registered dietitian can help you tailor this range based on your preferences and goals. (Jensen et al., 2014).
- Prioritize nutrient-dense foods like fruits and vegetables, which are relatively low in calories and rich in nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Conclution
Phentermine is a drug that is consumed in order to suppress the appetite. It can be purchased by prescription and it is recommended to consume it for a short period of time. However, like most weight loss medications, phentermine includes side effects such as dry mouth, dizziness, fatigue, irritability, and constipation.
While this seems to be a useful drug for weight loss, it is recommended to combine them with a good diet and physical exercise.
References
- Curry, S. (2017). Obesity Epidemic: Pharmaceutical Weight Loss. Rhode Island Medical Journal . doi: 1028246654
- Connolly, H., Crary, J., McGoon, M., Hensrud, D., Edwards, B., Edwards, W. and Schaff, H. (1997). Valvular heart disease associated with fenfluramine-phentermine. The New England Journal of Medicine . doi: 10.1056 / NEJM199708283370901
- Haddock, C., Poston, W., Dill, P., Foreyt, J. and Ericsson, M. (2002). Pharmacotherapy for obesity: a quantitative analysis of four decades of published randomized clinical trials. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders. doi:
10.1038 / sj.ijo.0801889 - Jensen, M., Ryan, D., Apovian, C., Ard, J., Comuzzie, A., Donato, K… Hu, F. (2014). 2013 AHA / ACC / TOS guideline for the management of overweight and obesity in adults: a report of the American College of Cardiology / American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines and The Obesity Society. Circulation. doi:
10.1161 / 01.cir.0000437739.71477.ee - Khera, R., Murad, M., Chandar, A., Dulai, P., Wang, Z., Prokop, L., Loomba, R., Camilleri, M… Singh, S. (2016). Association of Pharmacological Treatments for Obesity With Weight Loss and Adverse Events: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA . doi:
10.1001 / jama.2016.7602 - Kiortsis, D. (2013). A review of the metabolic effects of controlled-release Phentermine / Topiramate. Hormones. doi: 1024457398
- Pilitsi, E., Farr, O., Polyzos, S., Perakakis, N., Nolen, E., Papathanasiou, A. and Mantzoros, C. (2019). Pharmacotherapy of obesity: Available medications and drugs under investigation. Metabolims . doi:
10.1016 / j.metabol.2018.10.010 - Saunders, K., Umashanker, D., Igel, L., Kumar, R. and Aronne, L. (2018). Obesity Pharmacotherapy. The Medicals Clinics of North America. doi: 10.1016 / j.mcna.2017.08.010
- Xiong, G. and Gadde, K. (2014). Combination phentermine / topiramate for obesity treatment in primary care: a review. Postgraduate Medicine. doi: 10.3810 / pgm.2014.03.2746
