Weight Loss Medications: What Personal Trainers Should Tell Their Clients

When trying to lose weight, many people end up seeking shortcuts. They may also think that weight loss medications are fast-acting solutions or “magic pills,” while this is not true. These assumptions often arise during conversations between clients and personal trainers.

Although trainers can’t make medical decisions, they can help individuals set realistic expectations and support them in their wellness journey. Let’s explore the details about weight loss medications, how they work, and how personal trainers can contribute to better awareness of this weight loss approach.

What Are Weight Loss Medications?

Weight loss medications (including prescription medications, over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and diet supplements) help reduce and control body fat in overweight and obese individuals. Each category varies in terms of the ingredients, effectiveness, and safety profile, but all of them can induce weight loss by altering a set of fundamental processes in the body. 

How Do Weight Loss Medications Work?

Weight loss medications have various mechanisms of action, such as:

• Appetite Suppression: They impact brain chemistry to reduce your feeling of hunger and increase satiety. For instance, some weight loss medications act by stimulating norepinephrine in the brain to suppress appetite.
• Fat Absorption Inhibition: Certain medications block the absorption and digestion of fat in the intestines, commonly by inhibiting the enzyme lipase.
• Blood Sugar Control: More commonly prescribed medications assist in the regulation of blood glucose level, improving insulin sensitivity, and indirectly supporting weight loss.
• Increased Calorie Burning: Supplements like caffeine, green tea extract, and capsaicin are thought to speed up metabolism so that you burn more calories.

Some medications act in a single pathway while others influence multiple processes at once. However, it’s not the only factor impacting their effectiveness; active ingredients and individual body responses also play a role.

Types of Weight Loss Medications

Prescription Medications: Prescription weight loss medicines have passed clinical trials for safety and efficacy, but they still have side effects and need a physician’s oversight. For example, to get a Zepbound prescription online, you still have to see a healthcare provider (online or in person) for an evaluation and may be asked to take certain lab tests before starting treatment.

FDA-approved weight loss medicines are:

• Semaglutide (Wegovy)
• Tirzepatide (Zepbound)
• Phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia)
• Bupropion-naltrexone (Contrave)
• Liraglutide (Saxenda)
• Orlistat (Xenical)
• Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medications: These are approved weight loss medications available without a prescription. Alli (Orlistat) is currently the only FDA-approved OTC weight loss medication.

Herbal Supplements: These are OTC supplements that are thought to aid in weight loss. They are not approved by the FDA for this purpose, and research supporting their effectiveness may be weak. Some examples include caffeine pills, green tea extract, garcinia cambogia, raspberry ketones, and glucomannan.

This is one of the topics where personal trainers can step in. While they cannot recommend any weight loss medicines, they can guide their clients to see a healthcare provider for the most accurate and individualized advice.

Who Should Consider Weight Loss Medication?

A healthcare professional can determine if you qualify to use weight loss medications; they are not appropriate for everyone. These medications are generally advised for:

• Adults with excess weight or obesity who have a BMI ≥30, or who have a BMI ≥27 and also have obesity-related medical conditions, such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes.
• Individuals who have been unsuccessful in losing weight through diet and physical activity.
• Individuals who are not breastfeeding or pregnant.

Do Weight Loss Pills Work? What the Evidence Says

There is clinical evidence that supports the use of medications such as semaglutide (Wegovy), a GLP-1 receptor agonist, to cause substantial weight loss. It can help lose up to 15% of body weight, based on certain studies, including the STEP trials (Semaglutide Treatment Effect in People with Obesity) reported on by the NIH’s National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).

Other prescription medications, such as orlistat, phentermine-topiramate, and liraglutide, have also shown moderate weight loss effects, usually leading to a loss of 5–10% of body weight within a few months. Over-the-counter weight loss medications, such as low-dose orlistat (Alli), have modest outcomes — around 2–3 kilograms greater weight reduction compared to placebo.

Dietary and herbal supplements such as green tea extract, caffeine, or glucomannan have weak and variable evidence, which in most cases translates to less than 2 kilograms of weight loss and are not regulated as tightly as prescription medicines.

Benefits of Weight Loss Medications

The benefits and results of weight loss medications vary, but usually individuals can achieve the above-mentioned 5-15% weight loss. Other possible benefits include the following:

• Regulating blood glucose.
• Improving cardiovascular health.
• Losing excess weight can enhance mobility, decrease tiredness, and ease joint pressure, making every-day activities more comfortable.

However, these medicines should not be viewed as a quick solution. The effects are more pronounced and sustainable when medications are combined with lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet and exercise. For personal trainers, it’s important to motivate their clients to proceed with regular physical activity even when weight loss goals have been achieved. Otherwise, stopping exercise at the same time as medication often leads to weight regain over time.

Risks and Side Effects

Although weight loss medications have real advantages, they have potential side effects. Not all people respond equally to these medications, so these effects can range from mild to serious. It is important to know the potential risks when discussing the choice of your weight loss medication.

Some common side effects of weight loss medications include: 

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Dry mouth
• Headache
• Rapid heart rate
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Fecal urgency
• Insomnia

Some risks are comparatively serious, such as: 

• Elevated blood pressure or heart rate
• Mood changes or suicidal tendencies
• Liver or kidney injury

If you have any concerning, severe, or prolonged adverse reactions, contact your healthcare provider.

Alternatives and Complementary Approaches

Weight loss medications may not be the sole way to reach a healthy body weight. Regardless of whether you take them or not, you need to take on a holistic, long-term, and individualized approach to weight management: 

• For lasting weight loss, plan a well-balanced diet including whole, nutrient-rich foods.
• Physical activity on a regular basis assists with weight loss, enhances cardiovascular health, and maintains muscles.
• Behavioral therapy such as CBT, mindful eating, and goal setting enhance the efficacy of diet and exercise plans.

For people with obesity who have not been successful with other weight management plans and medications, bariatric surgery may be a suitable option. 

Conclusion

Weight loss medications can be beneficial for individuals with obesity when taken as part of a comprehensive weight loss plan. If you are a personal trainer and your clients take such medications, remember to discuss that it’s not a miracle quick fix, and long-term lifestyle changes are necessary to make them work. Finally, it’s important to consult a healthcare provider before taking any weight loss medications, report any side effects, and have regular follow-up appointments to monitor the results.