Weight loss supplement industry had seen a lot of twists and turns over the course of the last 10-12 years. But back in 2012, the FDA provided the approval to two of the supplements. And that’s when the concept of prescription weight loss supplement had come in.
Therefore, today’s article is about a complete discussion on what these prescription weight loss pills are, whom they are for, what are the approved pills and what benefit it might provide you with.
Stay tuned-
Table of Content
What is prescription weight loss pills?
Prescription weight loss pills are also called the anti-obesity pills or sometimes, diet pills. They are usually prescribed to patients that are taken under weight loss treatments. In addition, the intention of such inclusion is to fasten up the process of lowering down the calorie and fat count.
Most of these weight loss prescriptions are widely known as anorexiants. Some of these are commercially available, and often don’t require any prescription. Above all, over 95% of these supplements are not available to buy without any prescription.
Whom is it for?
The next important question is, when and what kind of people are the potential consumers of prescribed weight loss pills?
Well, in usual terms, it’s for people who are health problems regarding overweight or obesity. Before prescribed weight loss pills, they should go through a lot of other processes.
However, let’s define the possible users of weight loss pills through numbers. If you’ve heard of BMI ratio, that would be the best way to sort out these people-
- BMI 30 or more: for usual people.
- BMI 27 or more: for people with health and weight-related problems such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.
That being said, weight loss supplements are not just for anyone with a high BMI. There are some health issues that prohibit random and usual uses of these weight loss supplements.
However, the type of health concerns that we are talking about is-
- Type 2 diabetes.
- High cholesterol.
- High blood pressure.
- Stroke risk.
- Sleep apnea.
- Heart diseases.
- Pregnancy etc.
Above all, in case you have other sorts of health-related issues that you are sure of, it’s best to talk to a professional physician before stepping into this process.
Benefits of Prescribed Weight Loss Supplements
As we have told numerous times, consuming weight loss supplements on a regular and prescribed manner would give you multiple health benefits, apart from weight loss.
For instance, in this section of the article, we will have a look at the perks-
- You can lose over 15% of the weight on a course of 24 weeks on a good quality prescription weight loss supplement.
- It will boost up your energy level and keep you active.
- Being merged up with your regular food intake, it will keep you rich in fiber and protein.
- Take your craving for snacks or fast food under control.
- Boosts up the immune system of the body. And makes it healthier.
- It complements the fat, fiber and protein that you would intake with your regular food.
- Leaves a minimal or no side effects if it’s prescribed for you by an expert physician or dietician.
Some Approved Prescription Weight Loss Supplement
At this point in the article, we would like to draw your attention to something really important. Also, as you know, there are some supplements that are approved by the authority, and there are some which are not.
However, below is a list of approved weight loss supplements-
| Name of the Medication | Approved for | Effects |
| Orlistat | Adults and children of 12 years or older | Reduces the amount of fat that your body earns from the food you intake as a meal. |
| Lorcaserin | Adults | It affects the serotonin receptor of your brain. For instance, it leads to a feeling that you’re full even with a smaller meal than regular. |
| Phentermine-topiramate | Adults | Provides with two benefits. One- it lessens the body appetite. After that- it makes you less hungry and feels you full sooner. |
| Naltrexone-bupropion | Adults | Again, providers two benefits. One- treats your dependence on drugs and alcohol. And similarly- make you feel less hungry. |
| Liraglutide | Adults | Approved to treat type 2 diabetes. And also make you feel less hungry. |
How much weight can you lose with these supplements?
First of all, weight loss drugs or supplements are not supposed to be replacements for your regular meals. If you are able to maintain a healthy mix between the regular meal intake and these prescription weight loss supplements, then this is a possible option for you.
Therefore, how much weight can you lose over months based on these prescriptions? Well, we have seen people to lose 5% to 10% of their weight over a course of 12 weeks. Over a regular course of 24 weeks on this process, you can lose up to 20% of your weight. But the percentage depends on how overweight you are and what your BMI is.
Are Prescription Weight Loss Supplements Approved?
In 2012, the FDA approved the first two weight loss supplements over the time period of a decade. These two are called the Belviq and Qsyma. This is quite a significant event, as most of these weight loss medications are classified by the Drug Enforcement Agency(DEA).
However, after that acceptance, there had been a standard of preparing these sort of supplements and brands are trying to get it approved anyway. But so far, only a few more of them had been lucky enough to earn that certification. Some of them are named as Saxenda, Contrave and Belvix XR.
Therefore, we have a mixed answer to the question of- are prescription weight loss supplements approved by federal or state level authority? In case you would like to go for one, both you and your physician have to be aware of this fact.
Bottom Line
Thanks for being till the very end of this article on prescription weight loss pills and supplements. If you are a potential user of these pills, this article should answer the very obvious questions that might pop up in your mind.
