Research
Hormonal
Anti-obesity medications (Liraglutide 3mg, Lorcaserin, Naltrexone/Bupropion, Phentermine/Topiramate) are effective for weight loss in type 2 diabetes when used as adjuncts to lifestyle changes.
If lifestyle changes aren't enough, ask about FDA-approved weight loss drugs like Lorcaserin or Naltrexone/Bupropion. They are safe for diabetics and work best when combined with diet and exercise. Note that if you don't lose at least 5% of your body weight in 3 months, doctors should stop the medication.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
When clinically appropriate, it is important to consider the potential role of medicines that are approved for weight management as additional treatments for people with diabetes who wish to lose weight.
Why this rating
Review of multiple trials, but notes limited long-term data for some agents in diabetics.
Source
Medication use for the treatment of diabetes in obese individuals
John Wilding · Diabetologia · 2017
DOI 10.1007/s00125-017-4288-1
narrative_reviewCited 43×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) promote weight loss in obese individuals with type 2 diabetes, whereas sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones, and insulin typically cause weight gain.Good
- Combining SGLT2 inhibitors with GLP-1 receptor agonists results in greater weight loss and HbA1c reduction than using either drug alone.Good
Related findings · Hormonal
- Initial treatment for type 2 diabetes should be a combination of metformin and either an SGLT-2 inhibitor or a GLP-1 receptor agonist to achieve cardiorenal protection, rather than monotherapy or older agents like sulfonylureas.Strong
- For patients with specific monogenic obesity syndromes (leptin deficiency, POMC/PCSK1/LEPR mutations), targeted pharmacotherapy (recombinant leptin or setmelanotide) is highly effective and should be prioritized, unlike in polygenic obesity.Strong
- Continued weekly administration of 2.4 mg subcutaneous semaglutide prevents weight regain and promotes further weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity, whereas switching to placebo results in significant weight regain.Strong
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