Weight Loss Drugs

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FDA warns against 28 diet pills webmd.com :: 2009-01-06
The FDA warned consumers not to buy or use 28 products marketed for weight loss because they contain undeclared, active pharmaceutical ingredients that may be hazardous. Those products may be sold online or in stores as "dietary supplements" - and some of the weight loss products claim to be "natural" or to contain only "herbal" elements. FDA news release states: "These products have not been approved by the FDA, are illegal, and may be potentially harmful to unsuspecting consumers."

Caloric restriction comes in a pill : with anti-aging benefits wired.com/ :: 2008-07-10
Scientists have firm evidence that the anti-aging benefits of calorically restricted diets can be duplicated by a pill. In a study mice given resveratrol (the first of a class of longevity drugs) enjoyed improved health. Resveratrol didn't extend the lives of normal mice, but it did guard them from the ravages of time. "For the first time, we can mimic caloric restriction in an otherwise healthy animal. That's been the goal of the field for decades. We didn't know it was possible to let an animal eat whatever it wants, but still get the benefits. We now have evidence," explained David Sinclair.

Brazilians worst abusers of diet pills alertnet :: 2007-03-03
Brazilians are the world's worst abusers of diet pills and the biggest producers of two potentially dangerous weight-loss drugs, a study by the International Narcotics Control Board said. Per-capita consumption of diet drugs, anorectics, is 40% higher in Brazil than in the U.S. The top 5 users were Brazil, Argentina, South Korea, the US and Singapore. "Anorectics are being used indiscriminately to feed the slimming obsession that affects some societies." The study came 3 months after 21yo model Ana Carolina Resto died of complications from the eating disorder anorexia, feeding a debate over the ethics of using super-thin models in the fashion world.

Fat's all, folks, as FDA OKs 1st over-the-counter diet pill cbsnews.com :: 2007-02-09
The FDA approved over-the-counter sales of the weight-loss drug Orlistat, making it the first nonprescription diet pill to win government sanction. Sold as Alli, the drug will come in 60-mg pills. Orlistat blocks absorption of up to 30% of dietary fat and is not absorbed into the bloodstream. The most common side effect is diarrhea - worsen with increased drug dosage or fat intake. "It's really a very safe drug. But we don't know how effective a lower dose will be. And the drug has only a modest effect, even at 120 milligrams. It's not a magic pill," said Dr. Xavier Pi-Sunyer.

Cannabis-inspired weight loss diet pill shows some success newscientisttech :: 2007-01-30
A new weight loss drug that works by blocking a cannabinoid receptor in the brain has had "modest" success at helping people both lose weight and keep it off. It also seemed to improve other risk factors for cardiovascular disease beyond what would be expected from weight loss alone. But critics say the study's methodology may have been flawed, given that almost half of its participants dropped out. The researchers found that those taking the larger dose were able to lose significantly more weight than those on placebo - an average loss of 6.1 kg versus 1.6 kg.

Companies pay $26 million to settle false weight-loss ads alertnet :: 2007-01-09
Bayer AG and several smaller companies agreed to pay almost $26 million to settle allegations of false weight-loss advertising claims. The settlements involve Bayer's One-A-Day WeightSmart multi-vitamin, as well as the diet pills CortiSlim, TrimSpa and Xenadrine EFX, which are made and sold by other companies. "You're not going to find weight loss in a bottle of pills," FTC Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras told. "These ads are encouraging consumers to postpone the tougher choices that have to be made when one wants to lose weight."

Quick-fix diet drugs: Effective or harmful msnbc :: 2006-10-27
It¡¯s easy to become overwhelmed by the challenges of eating less, exercising more, managing stress, and getting enough sleep ¡ª all important parts of an effective weight-loss program. Prescription medications approved for weight loss and obesity surgery can help make these changes easier. But many ask if there are any problems taking prescription drugs, which aren¡¯t specifically approved for obesity treatment, to help them lose weight. In a word, yes. The risks of using what are called "off-label" drugs to lose weight can be harmful to your health. It all comes down to safety and efficacy.

Diet while you drink: Coke to launch calorie-burning tea dailymail.co.uk :: 2006-10-16
Coca-Cola has developed a green-tea drink that it claims will help to burn calories - rather than pile them on. Enviga launches in the US next month. The manufacturers claim that drinking three 12-ounce cans helps burn 60-100 calories. The drink contains caffeine, calcium and a green tea extract known as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which speeds up metabolism and increases energy use, when combined with caffeine. "Enviga increases calorie burning. It represents the perfect combination of science and nature," said chief scientist Rhona Applebaum.

Promising antiobesity drug fails to produce meaningful weight loss sciencedaily :: 2006-10-12
A drug designed to target a powerful hunger-stimulating factor that has been considered a prime target for antiobesity therapy failed to produce meaningful weight loss in obese people in a long-term study. People taking the drug known as MK-0557 for a year lost about three pounds more than those taking a placebo, researchers reported in the journal Cell Metabolism. The results, which are the culmination of a 10 year study, suggest MK-0557 alone will not provide a useful weapon in the fight against obesity.

Weight Reducer Contained In Brown Seaweed medicalnewstoday :: 2006-09-15
Chemists have found that brown seaweed contains a compound that appears in studies to promote weight loss by reducing the accumulation of fat. Called fucoxanthin, the compound achieved a 5%-10% weight reduction in test animals and could be developed into a natural extract or drug to help fight obesity, the researchers say. The compound targets abdominal fat, and may help reduce oversized guts. But eating lots of seaweed is not the quickest or most convenient path to weight loss, Kazuo Miyashita says. A person would need to eat huge amounts of brown seaweed daily to cause noticeable weight loss.

Some drugs gain popularity for weight-loss effects post-gazette :: 2006-08-23
Sally Krawczyk says she's discovered a successful way to lose weight. On the advice of her doctor, she's been taking an antiseizure medication and two antidepressants: and has lost 135 pounds in 18 months. She doesn't suffer from depression, but she has found the medication beneficial in another way. "The medicine helps control my need to constantly be eating. Without it I could eat and eat and never feel full or satisfied." In the unending quest for a miracle diet pill, Americans are trying an array of drugs to treat a variety of illnesses. None of them have been approved as diet drugs -- but for many, weight loss is a side effect.

Analysis shows aspartame effective for weight loss foodnavigator :: 2006-08-22
Incorporating aspartame-sweetened food into the diet does result in weight loss, says a new analysis that fills a gap in the sweetener science. Studies have reported weight loss by substituting aspartame-sweetened products in place of sucrose-sweetened products, but there hasn't beeb an overall review of the data. After saccharin, aspartame is the second most used artificial sweetener. "The use of intense sweeteners as a substitute for sucrose offers one way of helping people to reduce the energy density of their diet without any loss of palatability."

Weight Loss Diets in the News is an edited review of hand-picked Weight Loss related news and articles.

Weight Loss Diet: Healthy Eating, Losing Fat and Calories