There may be some new sources of optimism for those people who are trying to lose weight after a new study, conducted by two neutral scientific bodies, have demonstrated that the pharmaceutical known as phentermine is an effective form of weight loss. Phentermine has been used in America for several years by physicians in cases of severe obesity. It is both an appetite suppressant and adrenaline stimulant and has been quite controversial and hotly debated in recent years within the medical community. This new study, conducted in the most rigorous conditions to date showed that the patients who took the drug showed significant weight loss in relation to a control group taking a simple placebo.
Phentermine is a natural occurring chemical which works to supress the appetite by stimulating the adrenal glands to release the neurotransmitter norepinephrine – a chemical produced in the hypothalamus which is tasked with regulating the so called “fight or flight” response humans normally use in cases of emergency. This rush of chemicals through the body results in a tremendous reduction in a patient’s sense of hunger and at the same time was also shown to also break stored down fats deposits.
The study was undertaken in conjunction between the University of Alberta based in Edmonton, Canada and the Karolinska Institutet based in Stockholm, Sweden. The double-blind study found that all of those people who were given phentermine lost a significant amount of weight and the further that the group who was given the highest dose also saw the greatest results, almost 10% of their body mass index in some cases. The control group who were told they were taking an appetite suppressant but in fact were actually taking a sugar placebo also lost weight although a much lesser amount, only about 1-2% of their body mass index over the monthly trial. Other positive side effects which have been reported from taking phentermine included improved blood pressure and a general reduction in progressive hypertension.
The patients who took the large doses of phentermine described that they felt a feeling of “total fullness” which lasted for several hours and diminished or completely removed any of their former cravings for food. Some detractors of the drug have pointed out that those patients who lose a great deal of weight through the ingestion of phentermine could also be vulnerable to regaining the lost pounds quickly if they do not adopt a sustainable diet and lifestyle including regular exercise.
The study also reported that there were some side effects from phentermine although these were extremely mild, even within the high dosage group. Some patients experienced constipation, insomnia and a burning sensation or sense of numbness in their skin. Others experienced dry mouth or mild nausea although those who experienced these sorts of ailments were definitely in the minority.
The FDA Advisory panel recently recommended phentermine as a legitimate weight loss pill for use as a treatment for obesity. Since that time several international bodies of learning have embarked on their own tests into the effectiveness of the drug and possible importation overseas. Although preliminary studies have mainly seemed to show it effective in treating obesity they have yet been published in peer-reviewed journals and undergone the necessary rigorous review process.
One in three adults in America has been diagnosed with obesity and this rate is growing at an exponential rate, most worryingly amongst children. Rates of obesity are also increasing in other western nations like Canada, Australia and much of Western Europe. In Europe phentermine weight loss pills have been re-branded as Qnexa and are undergoing rigorous scrutiny by the regulatory boards of the European Union.
