Weight Loss: Is There a Magic Pill?
This week, the FDA is reviewing a new weight-loss pill developed by drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis for sale in the United States. The drug in question is Acomplia, and is already sold in Europe to combat obesity. According to a story posted from the Associated Press on Chron.com, the idea is that the drug counteracts the cravings associated with addictive behavior, and that results in weight loss for the patient (click here for the full article). Possible side effects of the drug include depression, insomnia and anxiety in patients who take it, and as a result, whether or not it will be approved for use by any person with a weight issue or only for those with health issues compounded by their weight will be determined this week.
Personally, I’ve had an on again, off again relationship with about 35 pounds of me that comes and goes every year or two. Currently, we’re on again, but I have a feeling it’s because I haven’t been watching what I eat and haven’t gotten to the gym in months. I’ve flirted with different ideas for dealing with the extra weight, including taking some sort of pill or regular supplement to counteract it, but in the end my reasoning is that 35 pounds does not an obese person make, and it’s better for me simply to become more conscious of my food choices and hit the treadmill or the elliptical machine to increase my metabolism.
In theory, I would love a pill that could help me maintain a steady weight so that I could be removed from the thought process and worry about other things. But, one of the big problems I have with any drug that’s used to counteract weight gain is that none will make me exercise. Being at my ideal weight isn’t “healthy” if I need to take a pill the rest of my life in order to be there. And, in spite of the time it takes during the week, exercise is a real joy for me when I’m in a regular routine with it. It’s one of the few times where you can really let your mind wander and get away from everything for a few moments and just be with yourself.
A pill to help return a person to a normal, “healthy” weight is nothing new, Acomplia just happens to be the latest incarnation of one. If your choices are death from an overburdened heart, lungs, digestive system, liver, kidneys and skeletal system over the possible side effects, then of course the pill would be helpful. But in a country where there is a tremendous focus on body image and being skinny, is offering a new pill going to be another thing for people to try, even people who don’t really need it?
Ironically, we’re the most obese nation in the world, and yet the most obsessed with weight loss. According to the FDA, Americans spend an estimated $30 billion a year on all types of diet programs and products, weight loss drugs included among them. That’s a huge and tempting market for drug companies that can come up with the right combination of chemicals to address weight problems, and hence it makes sense that they would spend both time and energy getting to the answer of this burning question in personal health.
So at what point does taking a pill make sense? And how earnestly should drug companies be selling this drug to people who really just need a lifestyle change in order to lose their 25 to 50 lbs of weight? At what point do the risks of taking a pill outweigh the risks of being overweight or obese?
I’ll leave you with this, to give some perspective on the American psyche: At my current, on-again weight, I am considered obese by the FDA (click here to see the calculator). Now I know I may be many things to my friends and family, but none have ever considered me obese. But before going out and picking up my prescription for Acomplia (or whatever form it takes in the US if it’s approved by the FDA), I’m going to try a little portion control and exercise, and keep up with my visits to the doctor. What do you think? If you’ve struggled with weight your whole life, are you looking for that magic pill?
