Weight Loss Drugs - A Guide to the application of different drugs

A brief guide to the application of weight loss drugs

The information presented below is purely for informative purposes and should not be used to help guide buying decisions. Always consult with a medical professional before beginning any weight loss program.


Introduction


This article is being written to help shed light on the mechanisms behind how different products listed at our site act to generate fat loss. We will approach the subject by splitting the products into different categories depending on how they work.


Thermogenics/Stimulants


Most commonly these will tend to be CNS stimulants acting to increase levels of epinephrine and nor-epeniphrine which also acts to suppress appetite. Products in this category include all Eph related products, Caffeine, Yohimbine and Geranamine. These tend to work very well for most people, either alone or in combination since they both elevate metabolic rate and suppress appetite. For most people these products will cover their needs.

It is worth mentioning however, that the drugs Clenbuterol and Salbutamol which are often substituted for eph by professional athletes will usually have a more potent thermogenic effect than the above products, albeit without the appetite suppressing effects.

They are usually substituted for eph when rapid fat loss is desired, and normally combined with caffeine, simply replacing eph in the well known ephedrine/caffeine stack. Usually clenbuterol is only effective for two weeks at a time after which a 2-4 week break is usually adopted. Recent research suggests that the drug Zaditen (Ketotifen) dosed at 1-3mg daily may help to enhance and prolong clenbuterol's effects.

Since clenbuterol has this downside, we find that many people now prefer salbutamol to both eph and clenbuterol, dosed at 2-12mg daily, in combination with caffeine.

Regardless of how people use stimulants they all tend to have the downside of promoting anxiety, jitters, and sleeplessness, at least if dosed too high or close to bedtime.


Anorectics (Appetite Suppressants)


Drugs such as eph, geranamine, yohimbine, and caffeine will act to suppress appetite and so belong in this section as well. They all suppress appetite to different degrees and in addition, work in other ways beyond this. For example, yohimbine is commonly used in the morning and in adjunct with a low carb diet for the purpose of liberating stubborn fat depots. For more information on this we suggest reading up on this method but suffice it to say for now, that it should not be used in conjunction with ephedrine for safety reasons. It is usually dosed at 2.5mg in the morning and increased upwards slowly to a maximum 0.2mg/kg of bodyweight. If taken, it is best to avoid eating food, straight after and is most appropriate for morning use. If the dose is split during the day it is recommended to adopt a low carb diet as insulin can tend to blunt its effects.

Eph and geranamine are usually stacked with caffeine, the combination of which is dosed normally 2-3 times daily if trying to achieve fat loss. The standard dosage used is 30mg eph with 200mg caffeine and 30mg geranamine with 200mg caffeine.

The other main anorectic, and a pure anorectic in this sense is the recently released drug Acomplia (Rimonabant). Acomplia achieves appetite suppression without any stimulant effects so for patients concerned about jitters and anxiety it is often a preferred choice.


Dopaminergics


Dopaminergic drugs such as Bromocriptine, and Cabergoline, are sometimes touted for their application in individuals who are resistant to the drugs already mentioned. Usually it is speculated that the leaner an individual is, then more useful these drugs become, but for the vast majority of people they are not necessary, and indeed, are not sold for that purpose. They are listed here for reasons of wanting to be comprehensive in this review. Bromocriptine is usually dosed at 1.25mg a day, increased over the course of 2-4 weeks to 5mg a day, the full dose taken in the morning only. It can tend to promote sleepiness, nausea and a blocked nose which is why the dose is only increased very slowly. Cabergoline is similar but dosed at 0.5mg twice a week usually and does not have the same side effects.


Hormonal Drugs


These drugs tend to have a more direct effect on the body than the ones already mentioned, and are often the ones you will see banned in sporting competitions. Of these drugs, those used for thyroid hormone replacement will commonly be used for weight loss. T3 and T4 are usually used alone or in combination at doses ranging between 25-50mcg for T3 and 100-200mcg for T4. They will increase metabolic rate considerably, and since they work via a different pathway, they are often used in a synergistic manner with those already mentioned.


Fat Blockers


Xenical, is the only drug currently on the market designed to combat obesity by blocking the ability of the body to absorb fat in the first place. It is frequently the drug first recommended to obese individuals who eat too much as it effectively reduces their calorie intake since they can no longer absorb as much food. Individuals should limit their fat intake when taking this drug to achieve the most benefit and limit unwanted side effects.


That covers our review of weight loss drugs. We hope it helps people to gain a greater understanding of their application and the methods behind how they work.