Transformative Health: Top Weight Loss Treatments

Author

Dr. Stephen Cosentino

Would you like to lose weight? Are you struggling to do so?

You’re not alone. Tens of millions of Americans are overweight, defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher. For reference, a BMI of 30 qualifies as clinically obese, though some experts argue that the threshold should be even lower, at a BMI of 27 or 27.5

Chronic obesity can cause long-term health issues, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol (both of which increase cardiovascular risk), increased risk of diabetes, and increased risk of thyroid and other cancers.

Diet and exercise is the “healthiest” option for weight loss, but it’s not enough for many people. Many also use or pursue weight loss pills, weight loss shots, or even weight loss surgery. Here’s what you should know — just the facts, no misinformation — about each option.

Top Weight Loss Treatments for Adults

The top weight loss treatments for adults range from old-fashioned diet and exercise, to prescription weight loss medications like Ozempic, to alternative treatments like MIC fat burning injections. Surgery is an option for some patients as well.

Ozempic and Other GLP-1 Receptor Agonists

This isn’t exactly a new class of drugs, but it has received a lot of attention recently thanks to the breakout success of Ozempic and Wegovy.

Not all GLP-1 receptor agonists are Food and Drug Administration-approved for weight loss. However, there is good evidence that they can help patients lose significant weight and keep it off for an extended period of time with dietary and other lifestyle changes.

GLP-1 receptor agonists do have some documented side effects and aren’t for everyone. They should always be taken under the supervision of a licensed physician who has completed a medical weight loss training program.

Other FDA-Approved Weight Loss Drugs

GLP-1 receptor agonists join a number of other FDA-approved weight loss drugs, as well as other drugs that can be used off-label for weight loss with acceptable risk). Examples include:

Adipex and Suprenza (phentermine)
Imcivree (setmalanotide)
Xenical and Alli (orlistat)
Qsymia (phentermine-topiramate)
Contrave (naltrexone-bupropion)
Plenity (carboxymethylcellulose hydrogel)

MIC Fat Burning Injections

While the evidence for MIC injections’ effectiveness isn’t as strong as for GLP-1 receptor agonists, they do offer an alternative fat-burning and weight loss option for patients who don’t tolerate other weight loss medications well, or who simply don’t want to take prescription weight loss pills for any reason.

They are generally well-tolerated but do have some documented side effects, including flushing, increased heart rate, and other mild to moderate physical symptoms.

Diet and Exercise

This option is more complicated than it sounds. For best results, a diet and exercise-based weight loss program should be supervised by a dietitian and licensed medical provider, preferably working together. It should be realistic, offer comprehensive nutrition, and be sustained over a period of months or years (longer than 12 weeks).

Weight Loss Surgery

There are several types of weight loss surgery, including newer, less invasive options that take less time to recover from. However, like any surgical procedure, weight loss surgery carries significant risks that you should discuss with your primary care provider and surgeon. It’s not for everyone.