Locaserin: Weight Loss Pill with a Risk

Locaserin (Belviq) is the first diet pill to be FDA approved in 13 years.

Studies have shown an average of 5.8% weight loss in one year.

Wait a minute….

With my weight loss patients, we work on losing 10% of their body weight over the course of just a few months!

What’s the Locaserin Hype About?

Any time there is a new possible weight loss drug, everyone gets excited. Don’t hold your breath. Too good to be true? Yes, it likely is.

The drug performed well in studies and showed to consistently reduce the appetite. But, the problem is that the overall weight loss is small.

Also, 20% of people using the placebo experienced the same amount of weight loss as the 50% of those who used the drug and experienced weight loss.

The drug could be beneficial for those seeking to lose “the last ten pounds”. It could give them a boost to lose a small amount of weight.

Possible Heart Complications

One major problem with Locaserin is that two years ago the FDA rejected it due to possible heart valve complications.

This is a big red flag to me. How can a drug become FDA approved after it was rejected due to any heart problem?

Dr. Nancy Snyderman from the Today Show said that the makers of Locaserin argued that the health complications from obesity outweighed the cardiovascular risk associated with the pill.

However, we don’t really know the true effects of Locaserin as the first patients to take this drug will act as guinea pigs to determine the safety and efficacy. That doesn’t seem like the proper way to proceed.

No Fix to the Root Cause

Brandi Koskie, from Diets in Review, explains the key element behind using diet pills:

“With more weight loss drugs should come more weight loss training for physicians to ensure we’re not putting on patches on severely broken pipes”.

You can give a person a weight loss pill, and they can lose weight. But, that doesn’t ensure they won’t gain it back. Physicians who prescribe these types of appetite suppressant medications need to partner with Registered Dietitians, or at least start to become fully educated in weight management.

I work at a weight loss clinic with a doctor who prescribes medication for weight loss, but we focus on lifestyle change and fixing that root cause of obesity. So, while patients have the aid of the medication, they can put their focus on optimal diet and lifestyle behaviors.

Do you think Locaserin is a good weight loss tool?