Contrave – A combination weight loss pill

The equation of weight loss seems a fairly easy one to solve, at least in theory: A reduction in calorie intake plus an increase in energy consumption equals the loss of excess fat. Practically speaking, many obese and overweight patients struggle to get rid of those stubborn surplus pounds, yet for many weight loss and weight management are crucial in avoiding the long health complications associated with obesity.

Over the past few years, research in the field of prescription weight loss pills has been intensified and several new generation drugs are currently being developed which could soon give the manufacturers of the fat blocker Xenical, the current market leader, a run for their money.

For general information on weight loss click here

Xenical

What is Contrave?

Contrave is the brand name of a combination of two medicines – Bupropion and Naltroxene – that are already being used to treat other medical conditions Contrave is marketed by Orexigen, who submitted a license application to the FDA for the drug in March 2010. If approved soon Contrave will begin to appear on pharmacy shelves in the near future. Contrave shares one of its active ingredients, Bupropion, with another weight loss pill, Empatic, which is also currently being researched by Orexigen.
Bupropion, also known under the names of Wellbutrin and Zyban, has been on the market for many years and is widely used as an atypical antidepressant and a prescription smoking cessation aid. Naltroxene is primarily prescribed to treat alcohol and opioid dependence.

How does this weight loss pill work?

Contrave works in a part of the brain called the Hypothalamus which controls certain bodily functions such as body temperature, appetite, metabolism and energy consumption. Contrave belongs to a class of appetite suppressants and has a double action by reducing food cravings and appetite while at the same time speeding up metabolism. Bupropion increases Dopamine levels which reduces appetite and boosts basal metabolism. The drug has long been known to induce weight loss in the short term, making it is popular among female smokers who are especially concerned about putting on weight when giving up smoking. Alone, Bupropion’s weight loss effect wear off fairly quickly. In combination with Naltroxene, an opioid receptor antagonist, weight loss can be sustained as the two drugs interact and produce an almost synergistic effect. Furthermore, Naltroxene also seems to have an effect on how we perceive food and make certain foods such as sweets taste less good. This is particularly beneficial to those with a tendency to binge on junk foods and sugary soft drinks.

How can I lose weight with Contrave?

After a few poor initial trials, the drug was tested on a group of 700 obese and overweight patients, most of them female, in July 2007. Two thirds of the group were treated with Contrave combined with an intensive weight loss programme consisting of a hypocalorific diet, increased physical exercise and counseling to change negative lifestyle habits. The remaining third was told to stick to the same measures and was given a placebo sugar pill instead of Contrave.

Nearly 60% of the 700 participants completed the entire trial lasting a period of 56 weeks. The overall outcome of the study proved to be very promising and met some of the FDA efficacy requirements for a drug to be considered for release. One important FDA requirement states that the difference in weight loss achieved between the placebo group and the drug group must be greater than 5%.
On average patients treated with Contrave managed to shed over 9% of their initial body weight, with 29% of them more than trebling this figure. While any prescription weight loss pill will always be more effective when teamed up with a tailored combination of diet and exercise, scientists suggest that Contrave may be effective on its own, a claim that is currently being researched in further clinical studies.
Combining Naltroxene and Bupropion can also lead to a reduction of the waistline and a decrease in visceral fat depots which are associated with cardiovascular disease. In diabetic patients, a reduction in bad LDL cholesterol and triglyceride blood levels were also frequently recorded.

Is Contrave safe to use?

Unlike some other prescription weight loss pills such as Acomplia (Rimonabant) and Reductil (Sibutramine), which have been pulled from sale due to safety concerns, Contrave has not been shown to cause or worsen depression or other medical conditions of a psychological nature.

Commonly reported side effects of the pill include nausea, headaches and constipation. These were mostly mild to moderate and occurred early on in the study. Any concerns with regards to side effects should always be raised with the prescribing doctor or dispensing pharmacist. A full list of all known side effects to date can be found in the patient leaflet contained inside the medicine’s box.