PLEASE do not ask me for this drug! I cringe every time that there is media attention to a new weight loss drug. This is not rocket science! If you read the study in the New England Journal of Medicine, ultimately this is what you will see:
1. All the participants received nutrition counseling and behavior modification in addition to the drug.
2. Yes, the folks on the test drug (Lorcaserin) lost more weight than placebo.
3. The people on the drug lost an average of roughly 12 pounds in ONE YEAR (note-one pound per month), and the placebo group lost an average of almost 5 pounds.
4. Everyone was relieved that there were no serious heart valve issues.
5. Side effects include: headache, dizziness and nausea.
Good weight loss from improving the quality of your diet (more fruits and veggies) and starting to exercise regularly is one half to one pound per week- so 2-4 pounds per month, or 50 pounds or more in a year. Side effects? Let's see- you feel better, have more energy, and bonus- don't mind looking in the mirror.
Please stop looking for a magic pill! All medications have side effects, and this new weight loss pill is no exception.
BOTTOM LINE: Old fashioned fruits, vegetables and exercise yield better weight loss with fewer side effects! Spend your money on MIchelle May, MD's book: Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat and break out of your "eat-repent-repeat" eating cycles!
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