If you’re looking for a way to lose weight and keep it off, there are several FDA-approved medications that can help. Lorcaserin (Belviq) is an antidepressant approved for weight loss. It can be used alone or in combination with other medications like topiramate (Qsymia) and phentermine/topiramate combo therapy.
Liraglutide (Saxenda)
Liraglutide (Saxenda) is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist. It’s used for weight loss, and can be used in conjunction with diet and exercise. In addition to being FDA approved, liraglutide is also considered safe by the FDA.
Liraglutide works by activating your body’s own fat burning processes so that you’ll be able to lose weight without having to starve yourself or go on an unhealthy diet. This medication has been shown effective at helping people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more lose anywhere from 10% – 20% of their total body weight within six months time period after starting treatment with this drug.[4]
Naltrexone and bupropion (Contrave)
- Contrave is a medication combination that contains two FDA-approved medications: naltrexone and bupropion.
- Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist (a drug that blocks or reduces the effects of opioids), which works by reducing appetite and decreasing food intake in people with obesity or overweight problems. It also helps reduce cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods. Bupropion helps burn fat by increasing energy expenditure while lowering appetite hormones like ghrelin and leptin, which are involved in regulating your body weight.*
Phentermine and topiramate (Qsymia)
The combination of a weight loss drug with a seizure medication has been FDA approved for the treatment of obesity. If you fall into this category, Qsymia could be just the thing for your situation.
Although it’s not technically a weight loss medication per se, Qsymia does have some benefits. It can help fight cravings and cause your body to use stored fat as energy instead of carbs or sugars—allowing you to lose weight even if you don’t exercise regularly. These medications are also used as add-ons to other types of diets (such as Atkins) due their ability to suppress appetite while also improving mental focus and concentration so that people feel less hungry throughout the day; this helps them stick with their new eating plan longer than they would otherwise!
Lorcaserin (Belviq)
Lorcaserin is a serotonin 2C receptor agonist. It’s available in 10mg and 7.5mg tablets, so you can choose whichever dose works best for your weight loss goals.
Lorcaserin isn’t just an appetite suppressant; it also has other benefits that make it worth considering if you’re looking for help with your weight loss goals:
- It helps reduce food cravings by blocking signals from the brain that tell us we are hungry or full (1). This means less hunger overall!
- By reducing ghrelin levels (a hormone that makes us feel hungry), lorcaserin may increase feelings of satiety after meals—which means fewer calories consumed at meal times (2).
Some FDA approved medications are available for weight loss patients.
- 1. Weight Watchers
- 2. Xenical (orlistat)
- 3. Orlistat (Xenical)
- 4. Sibutramine (Meridia)*
Conclusion
The bottom line is that if you are looking for weight loss treatment options, it may be time to try a medication. There are many FDA approved medications that can help you lose weight and keep it off.
