New weight loss drug — really? ‎

This is because of the fears of the effects of weight loss drugs in the past causing heart valve problems. Yes that's a bad "side effect".

Recently a new drug was released and approved by the FDA. It is called Belviq. The fact that it passes may seem like great news for people who want to lose weight. But we do need to look at the details of the studies done to see if its worth not only its price in dollars, but also its potential negative effects.

As you read on, please remember that drugs don't have "side effects" they only have "effects".

Lets take a look at the results of the study given in the link above. It's a wall of text so I will break it down simply.

• The trial subjects used the drug for 1-2 years.
• The trial INCLUDED lifestyle changes, nutrition changes, and exercise. This meant eating less and starting an exercise program

Results?

Foods for Weight Loss

• 47% of patients who did not have diabetes lost at least 5% of their weight over 1-2 years. Only 23% got this result with the placebo
• 38% of patients who had diabetes lost at least 5% of their body weight over 1-2 years Only 16% of patients got this result with a placebo.

Natural Weight Loss

Let's take a look at the results...

• 5% of their weight? Was it muscle loss or fat loss? If it was fat loss, that's good, but if it was muscle, that's terrible news. 5% loss of muscle in a 80kg man is 4kg of lean mass which would drop his metabolic rate by hundreds of calories per day, leading to a regaining of fat once he eats normally again. The study is unclear about this.