The Health Blog

FAT LOSS: DRUGS AND SURGICAL TREATMENT

Slimming drugs date back to the nineteenth century. It was then that ephedrine, extracted from the Chinese plant Ephedra Sinica and taken in tea as a stimulant, was first reportedly used. Further experimentation with this led to the development of amphetamines, and in the 1930s it was noted that these had an appetite suppressant effect by acting on the appetite centre of the brain. Unfortunately, the amphetamine-based drugs were also discovered to have marked effects on the central nervous system and euphoric qualities with much potential for abuse and so their use is now narrowly restricted by legislation in most countries.

Since then, there has been a vast array of research aimed at drug treatments, all with an obvious view to the huge marketing potential of a ‘magic’ product. The drugs researched can be broadly classified into three categories:

1. The appetite suppressant drugs, which broadly fall into those that act on central catecholamine neurotransmitter systems within the brain and those that act on the serotonergic system

2. Drugs aimed at increasing energy expenditure

3. Drugs used for changing fat and carbohydrate metabolism.

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