How Anti-Obesity Medicines Work
Are you wondering how medicines can help manage overweight and obesity?
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Transcript
DR. RODGERS: Are you wondering how medicines can help manage overweight and obesity?
Hi, I’m Dr. Griffin Rodgers with the National Institutes of Health.
My colleague Dr. Susan Yanovski, the co-director of NIDDK’s Office of Obesity Research, explains:
DR. YANOVSKI: The FDA has approved several new medicines to treat overweight and obesity. These medicines work by suppressing appetite and increasing feelings of fullness. The benefits of these medicines may go beyond weight loss. Research shows that they can also improve some health conditions associated with overweight or obesity by:
- Lowering blood glucose
- Reducing triglycerides, a type of fat that circulates in your blood
- Controlling high blood pressure, and
- Reducing the risk of heart disease
Not everyone affected by overweight or obesity should use these medicines. Be sure to discuss potential risks and benefits with your doctor.
DR. RODGERS: Follow us @NIDDKgov.