Giving the dopamine agonist cabergoline (Dostinex, Cabaser) or bromocriptine (Parlodel) to heavy men with prolactinoma -- a noncancerous pituitary tumor that produces the hormone prolactin and causes prolactin levels to be be greatly elevated -- appears to cause weight loss.

Weight loss seems to occur in heavy men only, whereas lean men gained weight.

One woman gained 33 lbs, however, in the other 16 women, there did not appear to be much of a weight change after 6 months.

This is based on a very small sample size -- only 3 heavy men and 2 lean men -- so these results should be viewed as very preliminary.

By approximating body weight from a chart in the paper, here are the weight changes in the 5 men.

• 11 lbs weight loss in one man, reducing weight from 260 lbs to 249 lbs


• 7 lbs weight loss in another man, reducing weight from 220 lbs to 213 lbs


• 4 lbs weight loss in another man, reducing weight from 176 lbs to 172 lbs


• 4 lbs weight gain in another man, increasing weight from 148 lbs to 152 lbs


• 12 lbs weight gain in another man, reducing weight from 143 lbs to 155 lbs

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Here is an interview that I did in 1997 with Dr. Albert H. Meier about using bromocriptine for weight loss.

He had done several studies on the drug. Read the entire article | Email this article

People given Ergoset, a quick-release form of bromocriptine, lost an average of 13.9 pounds in four months versus 2 pounds for those given a placebo according to a 1996 study. Read the entire article | Email this article

Thirty-three postmenopausal obese women taking bromocriptine lost 2.5 percent of their bodyweight in six weeks, and 11.7% body fat without changing their diet or exercise according to a 1992 study. Read the entire article | Email this article

Seven diabetics on insulin given bromocriptine lost 5.1 percent of their body fat without any significant loss of body weight, and no change in diet or exercise according to a 1992 study. Read the entire article | Email this article

Seven diabetics on oral hypoglycemics given bromocriptine lost 10.7 percent of their body fat without any significant loss of body weight, and no change in diet or exercise according to a 1992 study. Read the entire article | Email this article