In orthopedic practice, obesity frequently affects joints and the spine. In fact, when walking downhill or going down stairs, the load on the knee can reach 3 to 5 times your body weight. If you weigh 70 kg, up to 210-350 kg of load is placed on your knees. But if an obese person loses just 10 kg, the load is reduced by 30-50 kg. With that much less stress, the joints become more comfortable and can remain healthy for a longer time.
Furthermore, obesity causes not only orthopedic conditions but nearly all adult diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, fatty liver, and more. For these reasons, obesity is a problem that must be addressed. However, dieting is very difficult for modern people. You have to fight stress and food cravings. I too have had various experiences and came to try obesity medication. I actually lost 7 kg in about 6 weeks without significant side effects. So I decided to study obesity medications, and I would like to share what I learned. The most common obesity medications are appetite suppressants. In Korea, there are mainly two active ingredients: Phentermine and Phendimetrazine. Today, let's learn about Phendimetrazine. The appetite center is controlled by the hypothalamus in the brain. It maintains energy balance, regulates hunger, and ultimately controls food intake through appetite suppression.
Neurotransmitters related to appetite control include norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine, and GABA. Among these, norepinephrine is involved in appetite suppression and increased energy expenditure (thermogenesis), and Phendimetrazine is the drug that promotes its release. The main side effects may include insomnia and dry mouth, but these usually disappear within the first 1-2 weeks of use. There are no major precautions, but it should not be taken by those with mental instability, substance abuse history, children under 16, or those already taking other appetite suppressants. Up to 6 tablets per day can be taken, but most people need only 2 to 3 tablets per day. Because obesity negatively affects joint health, I have often recommended dieting, but many patients struggle because their joint pain makes exercise difficult and they cannot control their appetite. In such cases, prescribing diet medication to control appetite while combining treatment with appropriate exercise (within a range that does not strain the joints) not only improved treatment outcomes but also resulted in very high patient satisfaction as they lost weight. Since it is a controlled substance, some may feel hesitant, but because there are no significant side effects, I believe it can be a good option for those who need to lose weight.
