Question: Is there a prescription or over-the-counter pill that actually works for weight loss? If so, what is it and where can I get it?
Dr. Hibberd’s answer:
Let's address this directly. Most over-the-counter pills for weight loss are largely a waste of time and money.
Non-prescription agents have had little success, but do diet pill makers do a tremendous business via Internet sales where their lack of effectiveness is often concealed. Some products may even skirt Food and Drug Administration guidelines.
Prescription agents have at least some effectiveness and a record of safety, but even here the options we have at present are far from good.
Over the course of 12 months, pills can be expected to yield only an average of 5 percent to 10 percent weight loss. This is hardly worth the investment in time and money, not to mention the risks, side effects, and potential for negative interactions with other drugs.
The best way to lose weight is the tried-and-true strategies: Eat a sensible diet and aim to get 30 minutes of vigorous exercise every day.
If you are serious about weight loss, and attempts at diet and exercise has evaded you, you may want to discuss options such weight-loss surgery with your doctor to get your BMI to a more acceptable range.
The newest diet pill Victoza (liraglutide) was recently approved in December 2014. It belongs to a group of medications called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP) receptor agonists and designed for injection. Other members of this group have been used to treat Type 2 diabetes and weight loss. Be careful not to mix GLP agonist drugs.
The FDA approved the drug for those with a BMI of over 30 or for those with BMI of 27 or more with a weight-related condition such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension or Type 2 diabetes.
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