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Prozac plus metformin caused weight loss of 17.4 lbs
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Tuesday, September 26, 2006 3:18 am Email this article
Overweight patients given 20 mg of Prozac (fluoxetine) per day plus 500 mg of the anti-diabetes drug metformin (Glucophage) given three times per day lost an average of 17.4 pounds after six-and-a-half months compared to 1.1 pounds for those not taking the medication according to a new study from Iran. Six Month Weight Loss
Those treated for more than 6 months lost 20.7 lbs
Thirty-two women in the drug group were treated for more than six months.
This subgroup of women lost an average of 20.7 pounds.
One Year Weight Loss
Those treated for more than one year lost 21.6 lbs
Twelve women in the drug group were treated for more than a year.
This subgroup of women lost an average of 21.6 pounds.
Side Effects
Side Effects: Nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, insomnia, anxiety, tiredness
Twelve percent of patients reported gastrointestinal problems including nausea, diarrhea and abdominal pain.
Seven percent of patients reported insomnia, anxiety and tiredness.
One patient discontinued the drugs after experiencing decreased libido and difficulty with orgasm.
Subjects
Subjects: 91 women, 66 in the drug group, 25 in the control group
The study involved 91 women who were referred to obesity clinics.
Sixty-six agreed to be in the drug group, while the other 25 women acted as controls.
The study was not randomized. People who were willing to the medications were put in the drug group, while the others acted as controls.
Comments
Comments: Previous studies show weight loss with larger doses of Prozac after six months, but not one year
Comments: One analysis of previous studies found that Prozac may or may not cause weight loss after one year.
The research suggests to me that larger doses of weight loss cause some weight loss after six months, however, weight tends to be regained so that there is not a significant difference after one year.
Comments: Previous studies show a few pounds of weight loss with metformin
The research also shows a small amount of weight loss—a few pounds—with metformin.
This study suggests an interesting possibility that this combination of drugs may cause significantly more weight loss than either drug alone.
Hopefully this study will be repeated by other researchers in a double-blind, placebo-controlled fashion.
REFERENCE
Siavash Dastjerdi M, Kazemi F, Najafian A, Mohammady M, Aminorroaya A, Amini M. An open-label pilot study of the combination therapy of metformin and fluoxetine for weight reduction. Int J Obes (Lond). 2006 Sep 12.
AUTHOR’S CORRESPONDENCE
Department of Internal Medicine
Isfahan University of Medical Sciences
Isfahan Endocrine & Metabolism Research Center
Sedigheh Tahereh Medical Research Complex
Isfahan, Iran.
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