Nutrition Bytes

Obesity, regarded as a chronic metabolic disease, is increasing in prevalence in the United States. Today, a combination of pharmacotherapy and life-style adjustments seem to provide an effective treatment. However, many controversies exist regarding the safety of weight reducing drugs. As older anorexigenic drugs, such as amphetamines and Phen/Fen have been recalled despite their effectiveness in reducing weight, due to their side effects, a new drug, Sibutramine (Meridia TM) is taking the center stage. Sibutramine exerts its effect by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine, a mechanism different from any other diet pill approved by FDA. By lowering blood triglycerides, colostral, and waist/hip ratio via its anorexic and thermogenic effects, sibutramine has great promises, despite the lack of established long-term side effects.