FDA approves lorcaserin for weight loss; is wave of heart valve damage imminent?

Friday, July 06, 2012 by: Chris Martin
Tags: lorcaserin, weight loss, heart valves

(NaturalNews) On June 27, 2012 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved lorcaserin hydrochloride, a weight-loss pill, for sale in the United States. A pharmaceutical drug allegedly designed to curb appetite signals to brain receptors in the hypothalamus that promote satiety. Rejected in 2010 for causing tumors in tested animals, lorcaserin hydrochloride also claims side-effects ranging from memory lapse to depression.

The FDA has approved lorcaserin hydrochloride without condition for adults with a body mass index (BMI) above 30 or above 27 BMI contingent upon having high blood pressure, type II diabetes or high cholesterol. The manufacturer of lorcaserin hydrochloride convened 8,000 patients for its study, including a focus on heart valve function. The FDA released a less than convincing statement that lorcaserin hydrochloride "does not appear" to activate the serotonin 2B receptor responsible for heart tissue.

The side-effects and potential for heart valve damage spurred the FDA to set the daily dose level at 10 milligrams twice per day. Neither the manufacturer nor the FDA tested lorcaserin hydrochloride in patients with serious heart disease, yet they only caution use among heart disease patients. The FDA-approved label restricts the use of the drug to 12 weeks if five percent weight loss is not achieved, no time restriction is imposed if the five percent weight loss is achieved. Consistent with the modus operandi of the FDA, the general public will ultimately be the clinical trial, as the FDA is requiring the manufacturer to conduct six post-market studies on the risk for heart attack and stroke.

The FDA has approved the so called "weight-loss" drug for a period of 13 years. The manufacturer in Switzerland will be collaborating with a New Jersey company for distribution. The mainstream media has signed on to promote the drug with unsupported statements such as, "many doctors have urged health regulators to give the green light to new weight-loss treatments," and oxymoronic reassurances such as, "...but the agency [FDA] has set high standards for such medication after safety problems with previously popular weight-loss drugs."

Craving food beyond the point of feeling full is the body craving nutrients. Vitamins activate enzymes that allow for appropriate digestion. Without the correct nutrient intake, the body cannot utilize food efficiently and this results in both anxiety and obesity. Two side-effects of lorcaserin hydrochloride are memory lapse and depression. Ironically, these side-effects may cause the patient to forget to take your daily dosage, forget to consume a full complement of daily nutrients or fall into a depression-induced eating binge. Daily consumption of a full complement of nutrients combined with consistent exercise is the most natural and effective way to lose weight.

Sources:

http://www.fda.gov
http://www.arenapharm.com/lorcaserin.aspx
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18620860
https://www.naturalnews.com/036049_magnesium_weight_loss_cure.html


About the author:
Chris Martin, Independent Journalist, Economist, Author, Cyclist, Drummer