Meridia Review

Quick Stats

Weight Loss Power

Value

Safety

Reputation

Total Score

0/ 100

Bottom Line

Editors’ Rating: 3.6/5 Average User Rating: 3.5/5 The good: The active ingredient, Sibutramine, has been studied in more than 100 total trials with 12,000 patients or more and proven to help people lose weight over a long term program of 6 months. The bad: It is only available by prescription and packs some serious side […]

Posted June 18, 2008 by James

Here's Why...

Editors’
Rating: 3.6/5

Average
User Rating: 3.5/5

The good: The active ingredient, Sibutramine, has
been studied in more than 100 total trials with 12,000 patients or more
and proven to help people lose weight over a long term program of 6
months.

The bad: It is only available by prescription and
packs some serious side effects.

The bottom line: This medication should only be used
under the careful eye of the prescribing physician. End result –
We give this product a thumb’s up as long as you use it with a doctor’s
care.

Price: In the $xxx range, varies between dispensing
pharmacies.

Meridia is a weight loss aid that is only available by prescription. Meridia
offers no promises of losing 20 pounds in 30 days, there are no gimmicks that
embody the marketing campaigns. The only promise Meridia makes is they are making
no promises.
Meridian is aimed at people who need to lose 30 pounds or more.

The product, according to Meridia, should be taken by only a select group of
people due to the risk of higher blood pressure and heart rate.
Manufactured and distributed by Abbott Laboratories,
the well-known creator of Glucerna, Omnicef, Pedialyte, and many other products
has created a prescription weight loss aid that has become quite popular.

The Inner Workings of Meridia

The Meridia website
claims, “MERIDIA works by acting on the appetite control center in the
brain. Studies have shown that using MERIDIA, along with a reduced-calorie diet
and exercise, helped patients lose weight and maintain weight loss for up to
two years.

The active ingredient in MERIDIA, sibutramine, works in the area of the brain
that signals the sense of fullness (satiety). Meridia does not suppress appetite,
which is your signal to start eating. Meridia blocks the re-uptake of the brain
chemicals (serotonin and norepinephrine) which help regulate the sense of fullness.
Fullness is your signal to stop eating. Having a sense of fullness, or satiety,
means you may feel satisfied with less food.”

The website goes on to clearly state that Meridia is not a fast acting
medication. The majority of users will lose most of the weight within
6 months of taking the product. So, if you are looking for more rapid results,
Meridia may not be for you. (Key note: Most products promising super fast weight
loss are not really going to work that way!)

Meridia Side Effects

Ultimately, Meridia is a prescription medication. And, as such, the company
manufacturers offer a list of the possible side effects for the drugs. These
side effects include:

headache
dry mouth
anorexia
constipation
insomnia
sweating
increase in blood pressure
increase in heart rate

What do the studies on Meridia have to say?

Due to the fact that Meridia is a prescription medication, extensive studies
are completed before the drug is given to humans for consumption. The active
ingredient, Sibutramine, has been studied in more than 100 total trials with
12,000 patients or more

The research claims, “sibutramine in combination with diet and exercise
was effective in producing and maintaining significant weight loss in the majority
of obese patients compared to diet and exercise alone.” (http://www.rxabbott.com/pdf/meridia.pdf)
These research results have not been substantiated over a period longer than
2 years.

The Final Take on Meridia

As with many prescription medications, Meridia can and will work for many
people. But, the chance of side effects that could be life threatening are certainly
of concern. This medication should only be used under the careful eye of the
prescribing physician. End result – We give this product a thumb’s up
with a doctor’s care in tow.