Phentermine & Long Term Weight Gain

Physician-guided weight loss centers are popping up on street corners across the nation, and were even featured in a recent Oprah magazine. Many of these clinics are making claims of rapid and extreme weight loss in very short amounts of time by prescribing restricted diets that may include low calorie foods, meal replacement drinks and supplements. At one Arizona weight loss center, practitioners advocate a cup of tomato soup for lunch and a cup of chicken soup for dinner. You may be wondering how people survive on such meager calories and limited nutrition....The answer comes in a pill.

Phentermine is a prescription weight loss medication that is similar to an amphetamine. It acts by stimulating the central nervous system and increasing the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. Phentermine increases heart rate and blood pressure and causes appetite suppression. Side effects of this drug include chest pain, heart palpitations, restlessness, elevated blood pressure, nervousness, bowel changes, headaches, insomnia, and dry mouth.

Phentermine also has a significant effect on an individual’s metabolism. Although Phentermine initially increases metabolism, we find that patients have a considerable decrease in metabolism after discontinuing the medication. Patients who have taken Phentermine in the past almost always regain the weight lost while on the drug, and have a much harder time losing weight for the rest of their lives.

ALETRIS naturopaths do not recommend rapid weight loss or the use of stimulant drugs to assist with weight loss. Naturopathic physicians advocate a whole foods diet combined with weight training and cardiovascular exercise to encourage maintainable, long-term weight loss and enhance general health and natural beauty.

To further investigate the cause of weight-loss difficulties, naturopathic physicians will evaluate labwork to find and treat the root cause of a patient’s inability to lose pounds. Common causes of weight gain and difficulty losing weight include hormone imbalance, adrenal fatigue, insulin resistance and thyroid disorder.

Alli® Is Not Your Ally

After hearing a lot of talk regarding the new over the counter weight-loss pill, Alli®, we have decided to address one the pill's negative side effects: Vitamin Deficiency.

To understand the risks involved in taking Alli®, one must first understand how it works. Alli® is simply a lesser amount of the prescription weight-loss drug Orlistat (trade name Xenical®). Like Orlistat, Alli® works by inhibiting the action of lipase, an enzyme needed to break down fats so that they may be absorbed through the gut wall. With the inhibition of this enzyme in the intestinal tract, unabsorbed fat moves through the gastrointestinal tract and is eliminated in a bowel movement. Weight-loss occurs through this action because the body never has the opportunity to process the calories contained in the unabsorbed fat.

In addition to decreasing fat absorbtion, research has shown that Alli® also decreases the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins including beta-carotone and vitamins A, D, E, and K. Beta-carotene and vitamin E are major anti-oxidants in the body, while vitamin K is needed for proper blood clotting functions. Vitamin D is one of the most widely researched vitamins at this moment in history, due to its major implecations in reducing the 4 major cancers in the United States: breast, colon, skin, and prostate. Additionally, Vitamin D has been shown to play a major role in increasing bone density.

From a naturopathic perspective, many illnesses are created or exacerbated by vitamin deficiencies. Getting adequate amounts of all vitamins and minerals on a daily basis is a big enough challenge with our American diets, and consuming drugs like Alli® that inhibit their absorption is not something ALETRIS advocates.

The contents of this blog, including text, graphics, images and other material, are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please seek the counsel of an ALETRIS physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment.