It used to be that aesthetics was the main reason people wanted to lose weight. With the rise of obesity as a major medical condition, many have to do get rid of excess fat for health reasons. These days there is an abundance of weight loss supplements and pharmaceutical drugs that cater to the needs of both types of dieters. Excalia is a new pharmaceutical weight loss drugs developed to address the problem of obesity. It comes from OREXIGENTM Therapeutics, Inc., a neuroscience company devoted to creating innovative and tactical approaches to the management of obesity.

Excalia is not currently available for sale as it is still undergoing clinical trials. It is believed to encourage rapid weight loss. In the initial clinical trials, participants lost 12% of their body fat. Zonisamide SR and bupropion SR, the active ingredients in the formula, are two elements which were not originally recognized for their weight loss abilities. Dr. Kishore Gadde of Duke University however, discovered that when combined, these two ingredients had the potential to encourage weight loss. Zonisamide SR has been used to treat seizure disorders although how it does this is not known. It was only during the clinical trials for Excalia that its value as a weight loss agent was noted.

Bupropion SR is more recognized by its other names such as Wellbutrin and Zyban which are antidepressant drugs used to help people stop smoking. These drugs have been shown to be beneficial to those suffering from depression and obesity. The manufacturer aims to come up with a drug that would treat obesity from multiple avenues by combining these two medications.

Pharmaceutical drugs for weight loss are for people who are suffering from chronic obesity and already require medical intervention and supervision. Based on the data available, Excalia has great potential to be a treatment for obesity. We are looking forward to the results of the clinical trials.

Both pharmaceutical drugs and holistically-based weight loss supplements work best when used as a support to a healthy diet and regular exercise weight loss program.

Positives

• May eventually be a treatment for obesity

Negatives

• Not yet approved
• Will require medical supervision when used
• Not a cure

The developers of Excalia are hopeful that the clinical trials would prove that the drug combination used in the formula promotes weight loss. Excalia is believed to work by directly affecting the hypothalamus, the area of the brain that helps regulate appetite, energy output and maintain body weight. This effect is very similar to how the holistically-based weight loss supplement Hoodia, affects the brain.

Hoodia has a compound called “P57” which signals the brain that stomach is full even when it is not, thus hunger effectively eliminating hunger.

In the same way that the combination of the two drugs in Excalia is meant to create weight loss, Hoodia has also been shown to work well with another ingredient—Advantra-Z®, which is a thermogenic agent that effectively raises metabolism and boosts fat burning. A third ingredient, GTF Chromium, also works well with Hoodia. This element helps convert sugar into energy before it turns into fat.