New! Sign up for our free email newsletter.
Reference Terms
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anti-obesity drug

Anti-obesity drugs include all pharmacological treatments intended to reduce or control weight. Because these drugs are intended to alter one of the fundamental processes of the human body, anti-obesity drugs are medically prescribed only in cases of morbid obesity, where weight loss is life-saving.

Anti-obesity drugs operate through one or more of the following mechanisms:

Suppression of the appetite. Epilepsy medications and catecholamines and their derivatives (such as amphetamine-based drugs) are the main tools used for this. Drugs blocking the cannabinoid receptors may be a future strategy for appetite suppression.[citation needed]

Increase of the body's metabolism.[citation needed]

Interference with the body's ability to absorb specific nutrients in food. For example, Orlistat (also known as Xenical and Allī) blocks fat breakdown and thereby prevents fat absorption. The OTC fiber supplements glucomannan and guar gum have been used for the purpose of inhibiting digestion and lowering caloric absorption

Anorectics (also known as anorexigenics) are primarily intended to suppress the appetite, but most of the drugs in this class also act as stimulants (dexedrine, e.g.), and patients have abused drugs "off label" to suppress appetite (e.g. digoxin).

Related Stories
 


Health & Medicine News

August 1, 2025

Ape behavior just got a name upgrade — “scrumping” — and it might help explain why humans can handle alcohol so well. Researchers discovered that African apes regularly eat overripe, ...
Women who drank heavily, even though they strongly wished to avoid pregnancy, were 50% more likely to become pregnant than those who drank little or not at all, according to new research. Surprisingly, cannabis use didn t show the same ...
In an exciting breakthrough, researchers have identified cancer drugs that might reverse the effects of Alzheimer's disease in the brain. By analyzing gene expression in brain cells, they discovered that some FDA-approved cancer medications could ...
GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic are transforming weight loss, but a new UVA study warns they're not improving a critical measure of health: cardiorespiratory fitness. While these medications help people shed fat, they also strip away vital muscle mass ...
Stepping into a virtual forest or waterfall scene through VR could be the future of pain management. A new study shows that immersive virtual nature dramatically reduces pain sensitivity almost as ...
Potent statins are the best-proven weapon against heart disease, especially when paired with lifestyle changes. Most people aren’t active enough—and many are underdiagnosed—so starting treatment strong is ...
A newly mapped neural circuit shows how our skin senses cool temperatures and sends that info to the brain, revealing an unexpected amplifier in the spinal cord and offering insight into cold-related ...
A group of Australian scientists has uncovered a new way to fight some of the toughest cancers by targeting an overlooked cellular process called minor splicing. This tiny but vital mechanism turns out to be essential for the growth of certain ...
A new global study reveals a striking post-pandemic surge in gut-brain disorders like IBS and functional dyspepsia. Researchers compared data from 2017 and 2023 and discovered sharp increases—IBS up 28% and dyspepsia nearly 44%. Those suffering ...
Scientists at Kyoto University have developed a groundbreaking "lung-on-a-chip" that can mimic the distinct regions of human lungs—airways and alveoli—to study how viruses like COVID-19 affect them differently. Powered by isogenic induced ...
A global study of over 88,000 adults reveals that poor sleep habits—like going to bed inconsistently or having disrupted circadian rhythms—are tied to dramatically higher risks for dozens of diseases, including liver cirrhosis and gangrene. ...
Scientists at Columbia Engineering have developed an injectable hydrogel made from yogurt-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) that could revolutionize regenerative medicine. These EVs serve both as healing agents and as structural components, ...

Latest Headlines

updated 12:56 pm ET