The table below lists prescription drugs approved by the FDA for weight loss. The FDA has approved five of these drugs—orlistat (Xenical, Alli), phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia), naltrexone-bupropion (Contrave), liraglutide (Saxenda), and semaglutide (Wegovy)—for long-term use.
Medications associated with weight loss include antibiotics, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, sedatives, serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antiretrovirals, anticonvulsants, antifungals, antidiabetics, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, and alkylating agents.
Bupropion (Wellbutrin), an atypical antidepressant, works by altering the brain chemicals norepinephrine and dopamine. In addition to being the only antidepressant consistently associated with weight loss, it's also associated with fewer rates of sexual side effects and sexual dysfunction than SSRIs and SNRIs.
Some antidepressants will not cause weight gain — some can even cause weight loss. A 2022 study found that fluoxetine could cause weight loss of up to 2.7 kilograms compared with a placebo. However, this may come with side effects such as nausea, dizziness, and fatigue.
Unintentional weight loss has many different causes. It might be caused by a stressful event like a divorce, losing a job, or the death of a loved one. It can also be caused by malnutrition, a health condition or a combination of things.
Metformin is a generic and accessible drug that significantly lowers blood glucose, but it is not a weight loss drug. That said, weight management is still very important when managing your diabetes to reduce your risk for complications and improve your overall health and well-being.
Is there a new 'King Kong' of weight-loss drugs? Semaglutide, a drug that mimics a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) to target areas of the brain that regulate appetite and food intake, has grown in popularity in recent months as an effective weight-loss treatment.
Diuretics (like hydrochlorothiazide, Dyazide, or Maxzide) taken to help control high blood pressure tend to cause a temporary reduction in weight due to fluid loss.
Your healthcare provider may prescribe a weight loss medication for you if you have not been able to lose weight with diet and exercise, and you have a [10]: BMI >30 and are living with obesity. BMI >27 and have medical conditions linked to obesity, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
In 2021, Wegovy was approved for weight loss in several countries, including the US and Canada.
The point at which unexplained weight loss becomes a medical concern is not exact. But many health care providers agree that a medical evaluation is called for if you lose more than 5% of your weight in 6 to 12 months, especially if you're an older adult.
Share on Pinterest Switching medications, lowering the dosage, and drinking more water may help people lose the weight they gained due to medication use. Gaining weight because of a medication can be frustrating. Understanding that weight gain is a possible side effect is the first step in combatting it.
Unexplained weight loss is a noticeable drop in body weight that occurs even if the person is not trying to lose weight. Unexplained weight loss can be a symptom of a serious illness, including cancer or diabetes.
There's no solid proof that vitamin B-12 shots, also called injections, help you lose weight. Vitamin B-12 is a water-soluble B complex vitamin. It's found naturally in many foods, such as meat, fish and dairy products. Vitamin B-12 is added to some foods and is available as a dietary supplement.
Initially, you may lose a small amount of weight, about 1 kg (2.2 lb) on average, when you first start taking Prozac, but over the long-term you may gain that weight back or even add on extra weight up to 6 kgs (13.2 lbs). Studies suggest this may be due to a recovery of your appetite after your symptoms subside.
Increasing both aerobic exercise and strength training, ideally four times a week for a minimum of 30 to 45 minutes, can increase muscle tone and metabolism and reduce fat stores. Regular exercise has also been shown to reduce risk for depression relapse when combined with a stable medication regimen.