All too often, weight loss can feel like an uphill battle, and all the fad diets and trendy health crazes in the world can start to feel hopeless. For those who feel that they’ve tried everything and still face a long-term struggle with weight loss, prescription medication can be the key to losing weight. Still, many are hesitant to use these safe, effective medications simply because the way in which they work can seem unclear.
We here at Found are here to clear up some of the confusion surrounding prescription weight loss medication. We believe that prescription weight loss medication can be the key to safe, healthy weight loss when paired with other components of your weight loss regimen such as proper diet and exercise. Here’s a simple explanation of how some of the medications that we prescribe work, so that you can feel confident in your understanding of just how these medications work with your body to promote weight loss.
1. Reducing cravings
Many weight loss drugs work by signaling to your brain to decrease your appetite. Weight loss drugs known as hypothalamus regulators suppress neurons in the brain that would otherwise stimulate appetite. As a result, your appetite is reduced, which then leads to consuming fewer calories. Over time, consumption of fewer calories leads to a calorie deficit, which then results in weight loss. In one clinical trial, 42% of subjects prescribed these medications lost at least 5% of their body weight over the course of a year, compared to 17% of those who were prescribed a placebo. Other drugs prescribed by Found stimulate the nervous system in order to shrink hunger. This means you can feel more satiated with smaller amounts of food.
2. Making you feel full
Some weight loss drugs can simulate feelings of fullness. In combination with other drugs such as hypothalamus regulators, these drugs can work to not only reduce cravings, but also to make you feel more full from less food. Prescription weight loss medication gets to work immediately, and you should start to see weight loss at an average of a pound or two a week as soon as you begin medication. Most prescription weight loss users will see significant weight loss within 12 weeks.
3. Activating your nervous system
Weight loss medication known as “anorectics,” or appetite suppressants, activate your sympathetic nervous system (otherwise known as “fight or flight” nervous system) to decrease your appetite. This may also have the effect of increasing metabolism, which means you may burn calories from food more quickly.
4. Lowering blood sugar
Some medications that help control blood sugar are also effective in decreasing appetite. Decreased appetite helps aid weight loss by allowing you to eat less. For this reason, these drugs can be especially effective in patients with diabetes or insulin sensitivity. However, this drug doesn’t only work for diabetic patients. It has also been shown to aid weight loss in patients without diabetes.
5. Blocking fat absorption
While many weight loss drugs work by communicating with your brain, another form of medication works by blocking your body’s ability to absorb fat on a cellular level. This medication works in the gut to block a third of the fat you consume from being absorbed in the body. Combined with a lower fat diet, these drugs stop your body from absorbing fat in the foods you eat. Found can help you develop a comprehensive weight loss plan that may include medications. Your Found medical provider will prescribe you either one or a combination of these medications in order to aid your weight loss journey. Combined with behavior change, health coaching, and a supportive community, medication can be a safe, effective way to help lose weight. If you think prescription weight loss might be right for you, take this short quiz today to learn how Found can finally deliver the results you’ve been looking for.