Report warns of risks associated with new weight loss pill.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - Controlling cravings and suppressing hunger and a prescription weight loss pill claims it can do both, but some health experts are warning the pill could be dangerous.
The weight loss pill is called Contrave and while it is FDA approved, there are some health experts warn it could be dangerous. Walter Smith-Randolph reports.
There are television commercials for the prescription weight loss pill Contrave, which is the combination of two older drugs, the antidepressant Bupropion and the addiction-treatment drug Naltrexone.
The ads say the drug works on the brain to reduce hunger and control cravings.
The FDA approved use for Contrave is for obese people or who are overweight with a body mass index of 27 or higher and who also suffer from serious conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or type II diabetes.
The commercial cites studies in which patients who took Contrave, along with diet and exercise lost approximately two to four times more weight than those who did diet and exercise alone.
However, a Consumer Reports analysis of the three clinical trials used to gain FDA approval of the drug, show the drug works, but the amount of additional weight loss is small and could pose serious health risks.
Ginger Skinner, with Consumer Reports, said, "Contrave can cause anxiety, insomnia and headaches. But also serious health problems, such as liver damage, seizures, increased blood pressure and possible heart risks."
Consumer Reports found that people who took it up to 56 weeks lost only five to nine pounds more, on average, than those who took a placebo.
Consumer Reports advises to speak with your doctor about the risks and different weight loss options and it is best to lose weight the safer, proven way, by eating less and exercising.
A doctor can also advise about intensive behavioral programs that have at least 12 sessions a year and include multiple strategies to help you switch to a healthier diet and increase physical activity.
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Report warns of risks associated with new weight loss pill - WWMT-TV
