Sibutramine is an anorexigenic drug that is used in medicine as a means of creating a feeling of false satiety. It is a derivative of amphetamine, which, as many know, is one of the most common drugs in the world.
Preparations with sibutramine for weight loss can most often be seen today on shelves in pharmacies.
Characteristic
Sibutramine-based drugs are used to treat obesity in overweight patients as part of complex therapy. However, in Europe, the use of the drug was suspended in 2010, as negative consequences of its use and a high risk of side effects were identified. The majority of the planet's inhabitants have cardiovascular diseases, but this particular category of citizens cannot take the drug, according to the list of contraindications.
However, what will stop a girl who wants to lose weight with all her heart? Not a single doctor, not a single side effect, not even that the medicine can cause drug addiction. Many people take risks in an effort to lose weight, but sometimes they are too big and not worth the goal. In the article you will learn everything about sibutramine, what kind of substance it is, what side effects it has, whether it causes addiction, whether it is banned in Russia or not.
Initially, drugs containing sibutramine were created as an antidepressant, but soon another effect was discovered - anorexigenic, which is not surprising, since the basis of this substance is an amphetamine derivative, which girls often use to lose weight, despite the fact that in our country this substance is prohibited. Drugs containing sibutramine affect appetite and reduce human body weight. On the one hand, this is a rather useful property, but the effect of sibutramine on the body is quite controversial and raises a lot of questions and debates among supporters and opponents of its use.
Let's figure out what the most common side effects of sibutramine are, the dangers of regular use of the drug, and whether it can be used without a prescription.
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Sibutramine is a chemical compound that is addictive
Consistently good mood, bright, positive emotions, causeless euphoria, the feeling that all problems are left behind and will never return - this is how the psyche reacts to “medicine”. Naturally, when the action ends, reality returns and seems completely unpleasant. This creates a constant craving for the drug. As with any drug, the dose has to be increased, because over time the body gets used to it and becomes more stable.
Sibutramine acts like a regular drug, even an overdose is possible. In this case, it kills painfully and quickly.
Amazing endurance is replaced by weakness, resilience by tachycardia, excitement by dizziness, and joy by depression. The body does not require food - the part of the brain that is responsible for satiety is turned off. The only joy is the pills. The drug urges you on, encourages you, makes you move energetically and be active. But the physical and psychological resource has already been exhausted. Conditions similar to mania develop, and the psyche may not withstand such a blow.
The use of sibutramine forms a full-fledged addiction. But a course of treatment can return a person to his former life, to again experience bright, living emotions, and not their chemical surrogate. Manage your own life, not the time you take pills. Be free again.
The free sale of sibutramine has been prohibited by law since 2007, but many foreign manufacturers, mainly from China, include this substance in weight loss medications. Therefore, when choosing a medicine, you need to consult your doctor, weigh the risks and carefully read the instructions.
pharmachologic effect
The effect of the drug is more anorexigenic, it suppresses hunger and at the same time increases a person’s body temperature, which leads to accelerated fat burning, as well as a decrease in the amount of food consumed and the formation of a fat layer. Treatment of obesity with sibutramine is really effective; weight goes off quite quickly. However, like any antidepressant, this drug has side effects.
The peculiarity of this substance is that it does not cause a psychostimulating effect, but activates beta-adrenergic receptors and inhibits the reuptake of brain neurotransmitters, in particular, serotonin and dopamine, “hormones of joy.” Weight loss is affected by lowering cholesterol and uric acid levels, as well as increasing lipoprotein levels.
A few facts: when consumed, blood pressure and pulse slightly increase, the medicine is absorbed by 78%, the maximum concentration occurs after 1.5-2 hours. Its processing is carried out mainly in the liver; breakdown products are found in the blood within 4 days.
How addiction treatment works:
- MOTIVATION Recommendations of a psychologist Visit of a specialist Guarantee of results
- DETOXIFICATION Home visit (in hospital) Cleansing of the body Diagnostics by a psychiatrist
- REHABILITATION Social program Standard program Individual program
- SOCIAL ADAPTATION Employment opportunity Job training Outpatient support
- SUPPORT FOR RELATIVES Self-help groups Webinars (online) Individual consultations
Links[edit | edit code]
- "Top obesity drug sibutramine being suspended." 2010-01-22.
- https://base.garant.ru/12158202/#block_3000
- Heal, D.J.; Aspley; Prow; Jackson; Martin; Cheetham (1998). “Sibutramine: a novel anti-obesity drug. A review of the pharmacological evidence to differentiate it from d-amphetamine and d-fenfluramine". International journal of obesity and related metabolic disorders : journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity 22 Suppl 1: S18–28; discussion S29.
- Colman E. Anorectics on trial: a half century of federal regulation of prescription appetite suppressants. Ann. Intern. Med. 2005;143(5):380-385.
- Araujo JR, Martel F. Sibutramine effects on central mechanisms regulating energy homeostasis. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2012 Mar;10(1):49-52.
- "Meridia (sibutramine hydrochloride): Follow-Up to an Early Communication about an Ongoing Safety Review"
- Bruce Japsen (13 March 2005). “FDA weighs decision on Meridia; Health advisory likely for Abbott obesity drug." Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. pp. 1.
- Padwal RS, Majumdar SR Drug treatments for obesity: orlistat, sibutramine, and rimonabant //The Lancet. – 2007. – T. 369. – No. 9555. – pp. 71-77.
- Fernstrom JD, Choi SJ The development of tolerance to drugs that suppress food intake //Pharmacology & therapeutics. – 2008. – T. 117. – No. 1. – pp. 105-122.
- price from 100 rub.
- Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 29, 2007 N 964. Moscow Retrieved August 2, 2012.
- https://doctorpiter.ru/articles/10100/
Why is sibutramine a prohibited drug? What is its danger?
How does this medication affect the body of a person who is losing weight? Are there any pitfalls in using it? Like any other medicine, it has its own characteristics and side effects. Let's look further at why sibutramine is prohibited and what drugs it contains.
It contains:
- Reduxin;
- Lindax;
- Goldline;
- Meridia;
- Waist;
- Slimia.
Literature:
- Sibutramine: Efficiency and safety of use in routine clinical practice / T. I. Romantsova // Scientific article in the specialty “Clinical Medicine” // Journal “Obesity and Metabolism”. 2015;12(3):18-24.
- Sibutramine and sibutramine-containing drugs in the treatment of obese patients. Issues of efficiency and safety / M.L. Maksimov // Scientific article in the specialty “Health Sciences” // Magazine “Atmosphere. Cardiology News". 2013;3.
- Amphetamines: quality, methods of production, composition, pharmacological effects / A. L. Urakov // Scientific article in the specialty “Other medical sciences” / Journal “Problems of Expertise in Medicine”, 2014.
Side effects
- thirst, dry mouth;
- headache;
- dizziness;
- tachycardia;
- increased blood pressure;
- insomnia;
- haemorrhoids;
- stool disorder.
However, quite often, in addition to these rather harmless consequences, it also causes quite serious health complications, if they occur, you should immediately stop taking this drug.
The most common side effects of sibutramine use are:
- hypertension;
- ischemia;
- bulimia;
- anorexia;
- mental disorders;
- disruption of the gastrointestinal tract:
- negative effect of sibutramine on potency;
- addiction and irresistible craving for capsules;
- depression, anxiety;
- fainting, loss of consciousness;
- anemia.
Quite often, people start taking the drug on their own, without a doctor’s prescription; uncontrolled use without taking into account contraindications leads to quite serious consequences for the body of a person who wants to lose weight. Only a doctor, after a series of examinations, can prescribe a patient a particular drug in a certain dosage and for a certain period.
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Drug addiction and withdrawal syndrome
Despite the fact that many people do not see any danger in weight loss products, they can cause quite significant harm to the body. Side effects do not include drug or drug addiction, but withdrawal syndrome occurs when the drug is abruptly stopped because it affects neurotransmitters and the brain. Abstinence can be expressed in worsening mood, mental and behavioral abnormalities, gluttony, psycho-emotional disturbances, neurological disorders, anxiety, irritability, and chest pain.
To get rid of severe symptoms, doctors advise gradually reducing the daily dosage of the drug until complete withdrawal.
What to do if an overdose occurs?
If a person does not follow the recommendations given by the doctor, independently extends the course of treatment and increases the daily dosage, the risk of overdose is quite high. To date, there is no antidote. An overdose of a drug causes a whole range of negative consequences. This includes a headache, a sharp increase in blood pressure, muscle weakness, and tachycardia.
If you or a loved one experience these symptoms, you should urgently call an ambulance to your home. If you want to get high-quality help from professionals in their field, call the doctors of the Center for Healthy Youth to your home; we work both in Moscow and the region, and have a network of centers throughout the country. You also have the opportunity to get a free anonymous consultation with a narcologist.
What to do before the specialist arrives:
- give the patient a lot of water, tea and coffee are not suitable;
- try to induce vomiting and empty the stomach;
- take activated carbon, smecta or other adsorbent.
After providing first aid, doctors hospitalize the victim in a hospital and do not carry out detoxification and therapeutic procedures until the health condition is completely normalized.
Who should not take the medicine?
Each medication has its own list of contraindications that must be studied. In this case, the drug is prohibited for people with severe diseases of internal organs: heart, kidneys, liver, genitourinary system. Among the main contraindications are:
- elderly age;
- minority;
- pregnancy and lactation period;
- hypertension;
- glaucoma;
- bulimia;
- addiction;
- alcoholism.
Sibutramine is completely incompatible with alcohol; this combination causes unpredictable side effects, as well as accelerating the development of addictions and depression of the nervous system.
When using medications, pay attention to the instructions; do not take pills without a doctor’s prescription!
Additional Information
Conflict of interest.
The authors declare that there are no obvious or potential conflicts of interest related to the publication of this article.
Author contributions:
E.A. Troshina - development of the concept of the manuscript, analysis of foreign and Russian literature, editing of the manuscript; E.V. Ershova - analysis of foreign and Russian literature, writing a draft of the manuscript, preparing the final version of the manuscript.
Information about authors
* Ershova Ekaterina Vladimirovna
, Ph.D. ; address: Russia, 117036, Moscow, Dm street. Ulyanova, 11 [address: 11 Dm. Ulyanova street, Moscow, 117036, Russia]; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6220-4397; eLibrary SPIN: 6728-3764; e-mail
Troshina Ekaterina Anatolevna
, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Corresponding Member. RAS, professor; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8520-8702; eLibrary SPIN: 8821-8990; e-mail
Efficiency
This medication is really effective in the fight against excess weight, as proven by numerous studies. For example, the results of an experiment in which 605 obese people took part were that after 2 years, people’s weight decreased threefold, their waist became 2 times thinner than that of people who took a dummy drug. However, not everyone can maintain the achieved result; in 20% of cases, excess weight returns after treatment.
Research also shows that sibutramine is quite dangerous for people when used regularly, as the risk of developing heart disease (heart attack, stroke) increases by more than 15%. Of the group of subjects, 1.5% of people who had cardiovascular complications had to save their lives in intensive care. However, as a percentage, the number of people with heart and vascular diseases in the groups taking the drug and those taking placebo was equal.
The result of the impact on the body
Amphetamine has not been used for medicinal purposes for a long time. In the 20s of the last century, it found use as a medicine for the treatment of bronchial asthma. Later, psychostimulant and anorexigenic properties were noticed. It began to be used to correct depression, Parkinson's disease, and obesity.
Sibutramine was first used to treat depression. During clinical trials, it was found that when taking it, there is a decrease in appetite and body weight decreases. Medicines with sibutramine (Reduxin, Goldline, Slimia) are prescribed for alimentary obesity, type II diabetes mellitus, and dyslipoproteinemic conditions.
