Acomplia: New Wonder Drug for Obesity?

We all want it. We want that one pill that will cause us to lose weight. We want to be able to eat what we want and watch the pounds melt away. Drugs such as Meridia and Xenical might soon be in the past. In step Acomplia by Sanofi-Aventis. This drug not only fights obesity, but all the health risks that come along with it.After several clinical trials the drug produced astounding results. Over a course of two years patients lost between four and eleven pounds.

Only between four and eleven pounds, you ask?

Don’t be quite so skeptical just yet. America has this fixation that if you are not losing weight then you are not becoming healthier. Not true. Fat around the waist decreased twice as much as with the placebo. Triglyceride levels were lower and HDL (the good cholesterol) increased.

Not too bad, right?

Xenical has proven to be safe with minimal side effects. However, many patients who are obese will not take medications due to side effects (such as diarrhea). Meridia on the other hand has had some problems. Those who have cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure cannot take Meridia. This is somewhat of an oxymoron, considering cardiovascular disease is common in those who are obese.Phentermine is similar to an amphetamine. It is also known as an “anorectic” or “anorexigenic” drug. Phentermine stimulates the central nervous system (nerves and brain), which increases your heart rate and blood pressure and decreases your appetite. However, this increase of heart rate can be dangerous for individuals, especially those on other types of medications.

The safety of combination therapy with phentermine and any other drug products for weight loss, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (e.g., prozac,zoloft, paxil, luvox), have not been established. It is recommended that the medications not be taken together. Meridia increases levels of brain chemicals that help reduce appetite. Oddly enough, Meridia was orginally developed to be an anti-depressant, but the weight loss results were better. Appetite-suppressants work by increasing serotonin altering the mood and appetite . Meridia can increase blood pressure and heart rate, people with any kind of heart disease shouldn’t take this drug.

It is very costly and usually not covered by insurance companies.

Xenical basically stops fat (lipids) – Xenical lowers the amount of fat your body gets from the food you eat. This can be up to 30%,By doing this, it lowers a person’s intake of calories for the day, inducing weight loss. The side effect most commonly reporter was diarrhea or oily, loose stools. THis too, is typically not covered by insurance.

Over the counter medications ranging from patches to liquids just haven’t proven to be effective. Drugs such as Stacker 2 can be abused, and Hoodia, another “miracle” weight loss supplement is expensive. In fact, it is so expensive that OTC supplements contain trace amounts of Hoodia, if any at all.

For now it is best to keep to that age-old saying “diet and exercise.”