Anti-obesity medication

Anti-obesity medication or weight loss medications are pharmacological agents that reduce or control excess body fat. These medications alter one of the fundamental processes of the human body, weight regulation, by: reducing appetite and consequently energy intake, increasing energy expenditure, redirecting nutrients from adipose to lean tissue, or interfering with the absorption of calories.^[1][2][3]

Weight loss drugs have been developed since the early twentieth century, and many have been banned or withdrawn from the market due to adverse effects, including deaths; other drugs proved ineffective. Although many earlier drugs were stimulants such as amphetamines, in the early 2020s, GLP-1 receptor agonists became popular for weight loss.

The medications liraglutide,^[4] naltrexone/bupropion,^[5] orlistat,^[6] semaglutide,^[7] and tirzepatide^[8] are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for weight management in combination with reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. As of 2022, no medication has been shown to be as effective at long-term weight reduction as bariatric surgery.^[9]