Diabetic patients using subcutaneous injections of Symlin (pramlintide), as well as diet, exercise and lifestyle changes, lost an average of 7.9 pounds in six months versus 4.6 pounds in those given injections of a placebo according to a new study from the makers of Symlin (pramlintide).

Diabetic patients who took phentermine in addition to giving themselves subcutaneous injections of Symlin (pramlintide), as well as diet, exercise and lifestyle changes, lost an average of 23.9 lbs in six months versus 7.9 lbs with Symlin (pramlintide) injections alone versus 4.6 lbs in those given placebo injections according to a new study from the makers of Symlin (pramlintide).

Diabetic patients who took Meridia (sibutramine) in addition to giving themselves subcutaneous injections of Symlin (pramlintide), as well as diet, exercise and lifestyle changes, lost an average of 23.9 lbs in six months versus 4.6 lbs in those given injections of a placebo according to a new study from the makers of Symlin (pramlintide).

The combination of phentermine plus fenfluramine was all the rage from late-1994 until July 1997 when the Mayo Clinic announced heart valve problems in patients taking fenfluramine (Pondamin) or dexfenfluramine (Redux), and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed it from the market.

Fen-Phen, as it was called, was said to be more effective than either drug alone.

However, a 1984 study showed that phentermine alone caused more weight loss than the combination of the two drugs:

• 22 lbs weight loss with phentermine alone
• 18.5 lbs weight loss with phentermine plus fenfluramine (Fen-Phen)
• 16.5 lbs with fenfluramine alone
• 9.7 lbs in those given a placebo.

People lost an average of 76 lbs in six months, 97 lbs in one year following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery according to a new paper from researchers at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee. USA.

Seriously obese patients who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery lost 29% of their body weight after six months according to a recent study.

This represented 60% of their excess body weight.

Giving the dopamine agonist cabergoline (Dostinex, Cabaser) or bromocriptine (Parlodel) to heavy men with prolactinoma—a noncancerous pituitary tumor that produces the hormone prolactin and causes prolactin levels to be be greatly elevated—appears to cause weight loss.

Weight loss seems to occur in heavy men only, whereas lean men gained weight.

One woman gained 33 lbs, however, in the other 16 women, there did not appear to be much of a weight change after 6 months.

This is based on a very small sample size—only 3 heavy men and 2 lean men—so these results should be viewed as very preliminary.

By approximating body weight from a chart in the paper, here are the weight changes in the 5 men.

• 11 lbs weight loss in one man, reducing weight from 260 lbs to 249 lbs
• 7 lbs weight loss in another man, reducing weight from 220 lbs to 213 lbs
• 4 lbs weight loss in another man, reducing weight from 176 lbs to 172 lbs
• 4 lbs weight gain in another man, increasing weight from 148 lbs to 152 lbs
• 12 lbs weight gain in another man, reducing weight from 143 lbs to 155 lbs

Lean, healthy men gained an average of 9.3 lbs in one month (28 days) when given 4.0 mg daily of the antipsychotic medication Risperdal (risperidone).

Lean, healthy men gained an average of 5.1 lbs in one month (28 days) when given 600 mg of Mifeprex (mifepristone), also known as RU-486, in addition to 4.0 mg daily of the antipsychotic medication Risperdal (risperidone).

This was 4.2 lbs less than the 9.3 lbs gained by those given 4 mg of Risperdal (risperidone) alone.

Mifeprex (mifepristone) is the drug used to end pregnancy early.

Lean, healthy men gained an average of 6.4 lbs in one month (28 days) when given 600 mg per day of Mifeprex (mifepristone), also known as RU-486.

Mifeprex (mifepristone) reduced weight gain in those given the antipsychotic drug Risperdal (risperidone) from 9.3 lbs to 5.1 lbs, therefore, some might assume that the drug might cause weight loss, however, this was not the case.

Mifeprex (mifepristone) alone did not cause weight loss, but instead caused weight gain.

Patients lost an average of 21.2 pounds or 9.5 percent of body weight in six weeks when give a 800 calorie per day liquid meal replacement, which consisted of HMR 800 (Health Management Resources, Boston, Massachusetts, USA).

Information about the HMR 800 meal replacement shakes can be found here.

Note: A couple of weight loss doctors have told me that HMR makes the best meal replacement shakes of any they have tried.

Note: I have no financial ties to HMR or this product.

A caffeine-free supplement of EGCG (Epigallocatechin-3-gallate) does NOT increase resting metabolism, nor does it increase thermogenesis following a meal according to a new study from researchers at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.

These results were the opposite of what these researchers expected.

“Contrary to our hypothesis, we found no stimulatory effect of short-term administration on either [ resting metabolic rate ] or [the thermic effect of food ], the researchers concluded.

Weight loss after 6 months in people encouraged to engage in moderate-intensity physical activity, and reporting the following amounts of exercise was as follows:

• 4.5 lbs in those exercising more than 43 minutes per day (300 minutes per week)
• 2.9 lbs in those exercising more than 32-43 minutes per day (225-300 minutes per week)
• 2.2 lbs in those exercising more than 21-32 minutes per day (150-225 minutes per week)
• 1.1 lbs in those exercising more than less than 21 minutes per day (less than 150 minutes per week)

Weight loss after one-year in people encouraged to engage in moderate-intensity physical activity, and reporting the following amounts of exercise was as follows:

• 5.5 lbs in those exercising more than 43 minutes per day (300 minutes per week)
• 4.4 lbs in those exercising more than 32-43 minutes per day (225-300 minutes per week)
• 1.3 lbs in those exercising more than 21-32 minutes per day (150-225 minutes per week)
• weight gain of 0.4 lbs in those exercising more than less than 21 minutes per day (less than 150 minutes per week)

Weight loss after one-year in people encouraged to engage in moderate-intensity physical activity, and reporting the following amounts of exercise was as follows:

• 3.1 lbs in those exercising more than 43 minutes per day (300 minutes per week)
• 3.7 lbs in those exercising more than 32-43 minutes per day (225-300 minutes per week)
• 2.0 lbs in those exercising more than 21-32 minutes per day (150-225 minutes per week)
• 0.4 lbs in those exercising more than less than 21 minutes per day (less than 150 minutes per week)

The most common side effects in people given Contrave (bupropion SR (Wellbutrin) plus naltrexone SR) were:

• Nausea reported by 34% of patients vs 11% in the placebo group
• Headache reported by 24% of patients vs 18%
• Constipation reported by 24% of patients vs 5%
• Dizziness reported by 15% of patients vs 5%
• Insomnia reported by 9% of patients vs 6%
• Dry mouth reported by 8% of patients vs 3%
• Anxiety reported by 5% of patients vs 4%
• Tremor reported by 6% of patients vs 1%
• Abdominal pain reported by 6% of patients vs 2%
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) reported by 5% of patients vs 1%

People given Contrave (bupropion SR (Wellbutrin) plus naltrexone SR) combined with an intensive program of diet, exercise, and behavior modification therapy lost an average of 9.3% of body weight compared to 5.1% for those given a placebo according to a new one-year (56-week) study.

The average weight loss in the drug group was 21 lbs, reducing their body weight from 224 lbs to 203 lbs, a 9.3% weight loss, compared to an average weight loss in the placebo group was 11 lbs, reducing their body weight from 220 lbs to 209 lbs, a 5.1% weight loss.

Note: This weight loss is the average for patients who either completed the entire one-year study, and the last weight measured if the patient dropped out later in the study. For example, if a patient had lost 8% after 8 months, and then dropped out of the study, a weight loss of 8% would be recorded as the amount of weight lost even though the patient did not complete the entire study.

Among participants who completed the entire one-year (56 week) study, those given Contrave (bupropion SR (Wellbutrin) plus naltrexone SR) combined with an intensive program of diet, exercise, and behavior modification therapy to lost an average of 11.5% of body weight compared to 7.3% for those given a placebo.

The average weight loss in the drug group was 26 lbs, reducing their body weight from 224 lbs to 198 lbs, a 11.5% weight loss, compared an average weight loss in the placebo group was 16 lbs, reducing their body weight from 220 lbs to 204 lbs, a 7.3% weight loss.

Note: In order to calculate weight loss in pounds, I made the assumption that the average body weight of those who completed the study was the same as the entire group.

Men taking a prescription H1 antihistamine weighed an average of 20.9 pounds more than men not taking these drugs according to data from the 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Men taking these drugs weighed an average of 213.4 pounds compared to 192.5 pounds for those not taking these drugs.

Men taking these drugs were 70% more likely to be overweight than those not taking these drugs.

H1 antihistamines include drugs such as cetirizine (Zyrtec), fexofenadine (Allegra), and desloratadine (Clarinex).

Women taking a prescription H1 antihistamine weighed an average of 9.7 pounds more than women not taking these drugs according to data from the 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Women taking these drugs weighed an average of 175.9 pounds compared to 166.3 pounds for those not taking these drugs.

Women taking these drugs were 21% more likely to be overweight than those not taking these drugs.

H1 antihistamines include drugs such as cetirizine (Zyrtec), fexofenadine (Allegra), and desloratadine (Clarinex).

Obesity among US men increased from

• 12.5% in 1976-1980 to
• 20.4% in 1988-1994 to
• 27.5% in 1999-2000 to
• 32.2% in 2007-2008.

Obesity among US women increased from

• 16.4% in 1976-1980 to
• 25.3% in 1988-1994 to
• 33.4% in 1999-2000 to
• 35.5% in 2007-2008.

Obesity among US men increased from 27.5% in 1999-2000 to 32.2% in 2007-2008.

Obesity among US women increased from 33.4% in 1999-2000 to 35.5% in 2007-2008.

The prevalence of obesity among US men, 20 years and older, is 32.2 percent as of 2007-2008.