Weight Loss Pills May Impact Brain Functions, Study Reveals

Lorcaserin is among the weight loss pills prescribed for overweight and obese adults. Several studies point to the efficacy of the drug with a 5% reduction in body mass after taking the drug for a year. However, individual

Researchers, therefore, conducted a study with 48 obese people, with half of them taking Lorcaserin and the other half on a placebo. According to the Mayo Clinic, in the course of a 4-week experiment, participants visited the clinic on 4 occasions to study various parameters. Participants were also required to maintain a record of the food they consumed during the period of study.

Data culled from MRI scans during and at the end of the study revealed that participants who already enjoyed strong brain response to food before taking lorcaserin experienced most success with the weight-loss drug.

Researchers added further that BMI, weight, and a decrease in caloric intake were linked to the strong response to food cues from the brain in areas linked to pleasure, emotion, and attention before consuming the weight loss pills. Therefore, the researchers suggested that lorcaserin could be particularly beneficial for emotional eaters.

The researchers also added that Lorcaserin targets specified serotonin receptors (5HT2c), which in animal studies have shown to relate to the abnormal consumption of food. Weight loss drugs from a previous generation were also linked to the same receptor though they had a broader scope. These weight loss drugs also had serious side effects. The study authors noted further that Lorcaserin could trigger weight loss without side effects presented by other drugs.

Webmd.com reported researchers also saying that compared to other weight loss pills, the mechanism of action noticed in the present study presents an opportunity for combining multiple drugs to treat obesity. As a result, a more potent and powerful solution may emerge but that needs further studies.