FDA-approved
Naltrexone-bupropion
Targets cravings and appetite circuits in the brain.
KEY EVIDENCE
COR-I (Lancet 2010)
VIDEO LESSON
How it's taken
• Tablets increased over 4 weeks to two tablets twice daily
• Avoid high-fat meals with doses
Side effects at a glance
• Nausea, constipation, headache
• Insomnia and dry mouth
Good to know
May help when cravings drive eating. Not suitable with opioid use or a seizure history.
AT A GLANCE
Type
Medication
Brand names
Contrave
Status
FDA-approved
Reviewed by
Farhan Tahir, MD
Is this treatment right for you?
Prescription medicines and procedures need individual medical advice. Dr. Tahir’s team offers consults through Youthful Medicine.
How it works
Bupropion stimulates appetite-suppressing POMC neurons; naltrexone blocks the opioid feedback that would otherwise dampen that effect. Taken as tablets twice daily after titration.
What the evidence shows
In COR-I, adults lost a mean 6.1% of body weight at 56 weeks versus 1.3% on placebo.
Side effects & cautions
Boxed warning for suicidal thoughts (bupropion). Can raise blood pressure and, rarely, cause seizures. Not for use with opioid medicines. Nausea is common early.
PRIMARY SOURCE
Greenway FL, et al. Effect of naltrexone plus bupropion on weight loss in overweight and obese adults (COR-I). Lancet. 2010
TYPICAL RESULT IN TRIALS
About 5% to 6% average weight loss.
PHYSICIAN FIRST
Is this right for you?
Prescription treatments need a review of your history, labs and other medicines. Never start or stop one on your own.