Weight loss medication

The problem of obesity

Problems with excessive weight are something that has been talked about and discussed for a very long time. We can freely say that obesity is one of the major health problems today. To give a definition of obesity, we will say that it is a condition in which patient has higher amounts of body fat than normal. As for causes of obesity, we can say there are several, such as problems with metabolism, nonexistence of physical activities, but it can also be induced by genetic factors. But, the main symptom revolves around eating habits, diets, type of food ingested. Non healthy habits, eating more meals than necessary and taking higher amount of food than needed, this all leads to obesity.But, unfortunately, there are also psychological factors that contribute to this illness. The way we live today causes too much stress, and sometimes,eating excessively and frequently is the only stress reliever.

How to lose weight

The equation that leads to weight loss is simple: energy spent for everyday activities has to be higher than the energy taken with food. When this happens, body needs additional energy in order to function properly, and that is taken from body fat. There are three main methods of dealing with obesity, increased physical activity, weight loss medications, and diets.

Physical activity is always highly recommended, but it has to be appropriate for the patient’s condition. As for diets, they have to be healthy, and to have a good balance when it comes to major food types.Weight loss medications – first thing that is needed to know is that no medication should be used without an approval from a medical expert.This also goes for obesity, because sometimes treating the underlying factor might be more effective for patient than dealing with the excessive weight. This is especially emphasized when there are psychological factors involved. So, for example, treating depression that induced obesity will help in reducing the body weight. Popular weight loss meds today are appetite suppressants.Phentermine is one of those, and it has similar role as amphetamine,by having a big influence on central nervous system. Progesterone hormone can also be used to deal with obesity, but it has to be said that its exact mechanism is not known. There is also Ionamin®, another appetite suppressant, which functions by secreting substances that affect brain areas responsible for appetite. Beside suppressants, there is another type of medication, this one base don reducing the fat absorption (Xenical®). Even though some meds are quite effective, only few can be used for a longer period and almost always diet and exercises have to be included. And as with any other medication, there might be some side effects which, if they appear, have to be reported to the doctor.

Losing weight is not an easy process and it does take time,but with the help of medications, doctors, nutritionists, exercises, and with patience and determination it can be done, obesity can be defeated.