LOOSE WEIGHT IN DAYS

The first new weight-
loss drugs in more than
a decade are now on
pharmacists' shelves.
Will these medications
provide the solution
many overweight
women are seeking?
The September 2012
issue of Harvard
Women's Health
Watch looks at the
benefits—and risks—
of both new and
established weight-loss
drugs.
In June, the FDA
approved lorcaserin
(Belviq). It suppresses
hunger by stimulating a
receptor serotonin, a
chemical messenger in
the brain that regulates
fullness and
metabolism. A month
later, the FDA approved
Qsymia, a combination
of phentermine and the
antiseizure/antimigraine
drug topiramate.
Qsymia also suppresses
appetite, and it appears
to be more effective
for weight loss than
any other single drug.
These highly anticipated
new medications join
several existing weight-
loss drugs. Orlistat
(Xenical) works by
blocking fat absorption,
while phentermine
(Adipex-P, Pro-Fast),
diethylpropion
(Tenuate), and
phendimetrazine
(Bontril, Adipost,
Anorex-SR) suppress
appetite.
These drugs can
promote weight loss,
but they can't "cure"
obesity. "The biggest
message that I try to
relate to patients is
that there is no magic
bullet," says Dr. W.
Scott Butsch, an
obesity specialist who
is an instructor in
medicine at Harvard
Medical School. In
studies of weight-loss
medications, women
lost about 5% to 10%
of their initial body
weight over a year. But
they also had to watch
their diet and exercise.
How do you know if
you're a good candidate
for weight-loss drugs?
You might be if
you have a BMI higher
than 30 (the definition
of obesity), or have a
BMI higher than 27 along
with health problems
related to your weight
—such as type 2
diabetes (you can
calculate your BMI at
www.health.harvard.edu/
bmi ).
you are overweight and
actively dieting and
exercising, but are
unable to lose weight.
You'll need to consider
with your doctor
whether the risks of
using a weight-loss
drug, which range from
heart problems and liver
damage to possible
addiction, are worth the
weight you'll lose on it.
For some overweight
and obese women, they
may be. Losing just 5%
to 10% of body weight
can help reduce disease
risk factors such as
high blood pressure,
blood sugar, and
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