Two drugs approved to treat type 2 diabetes may also aid weight loss in overweight people with or without diabetes, a new study shows. The drugs Byetta and Victoza mimic gut hormones that decrease appetite. They are typically prescribed when patients need medication to help control their blood sugar.
The review reveals that the drugs helped overweight people without diabetes shed an average of 7 pounds and those with diabetes lose an average of 6 pounds when injected daily or weekly for at least five months. That makes these agents promising treatments for obesity, study authors say. The medications also appear to lower blood pressure and cholesterol slightly, which may help heart disease risks.
But the drugs, known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, also come with side effects. They work, in part, by slowing the movement of food through the stomach. That can sometimes cause a good deal of nausea or even vomiting, especially after a large meal. But Vilsboll says that side effect generally fades over time and doesn’t usually cause people to stop taking the medication.
Experts who were not involved in the review say they are cautiously optimistic about the drugs’ prospects for weight loss. Because the drugs are already on the market, doctors have the ability to prescribe them solely for weight loss. But experts say such “off-label” use of the drugs can be risky.
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