Weight loss drugs

Wouldn't it be nice to take a pill and see your excess pounds to safely melt away and never come back. This is the Holy Grail of weight loss drug industry. As of today, this remains a dream. That is not to say that there are no drugs for weight loss -- there are a few. However, none of the existing weight loss drugs even come close to the ideal. Some are only modestly effective or effective only in the short term, others cause troublesome side-effects, yet others have unclear long-term risks. Therefore, drugs should generally not be the first line weight-loss treatment. On the other hand, drugs may help jump-start or enhance a sound weight loss program. Most experts recommend weight loss drugs only in seriously overweight or obese people who have failed to improve with diet and exercise alone, i.e. when health benefits of weight loss may outweigh the risks of drug therapy. Selecting the right drug based on the person's medical history is also critically important.

This section includes general overview of the drugs either FDA-approved or used off-label for weight loss. For clinical studies of weight loss-inducing drugs, see our drug research index.

Overview articles

Orlistat (Xenical)
Phentermine (Adipex-P, Fastin, Ionamin, Oby-Trim)
Sibutramine (Meridia)
Fluoxetine (Prozac), off label use
Topiramate (Topamax), off label use

Drug label information

Orlistat (Xenical)
Phentermine (Adipex-P)
Sibutramine (Meridia)
Fluoxetine (Prozac)
Topiramate (Topamax)