New study shows a diabetes drug ma hold promise for weight loss.
A medication under review by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of type 2 diabetes may also promote weight loss, according to a study published online Thursday in the Lancet. The drug, liraglutide, was approved earlier this year in Europe for the treatment of diabetes. It is marketed under the brand name Victoza. The injected drug stimulates the release of insulin when glucose levels become too high. It also helps curb appetite. In the new study, researchers in Denmark assigned 564 obese people to one of four liraglutide doses, a placebo or the weight-loss drug orlistat. All the participants followed a diet of about 500 fewer calories than they needed to maintain their weight. They also increased their physical activity levels. – From LA Times