Diet pills Reduxin - reviews of effectiveness, price and instructions for the drug

What are doctors' recommendations for the use of Reduxin? How does Reduxin act on the human body? How long can you take it without a break? Can it be harmful and why? What is the best way to take it correctly? Can I drink it with coffee?

Sibutramine is not considered a drug - just a potent substance, the use of which requires mandatory medical supervision. It is prescribed exclusively to those who have not been helped by other weight correction measures. It was assumed that, like all weight-normalizing drugs, it would help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases among heavy snackers, and at first it even gave the desired result. However, with long-term use, its effect on the functioning of the heart and blood vessels turned out to be worse than atherosclerosis itself, which gave rise to the need to limit the use of Reduxin.

Operating principle

The work of the central nervous system is based on the generation and transmission of electrical impulses from one neuron to another through processes of different lengths and branches - dendrites and axons. Neurotransmitters help transmit such impulses - intermediary substances that facilitate or inhibit the passage of the signal, and also preserve for some time the path it has taken (so that the “answer” of the cortex can go to the same place where the “question” came from). They accumulate in nerve cells in order to be released into the space between them when a signal passes through this area.

Temporary “bridges” that mark the path of a particular signal are called synapses. And a significant part of the hormones belong to neurotransmitters, including serotonin and norepinephrine. These two substances can undergo reuptake - first released to create a synapse by the tip of a nerve cell, which transmits a signal to its “neighbor”, and then again absorbed into it. Sibutramine is a norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake inhibitor. It prevents their absorption into the process of the nerve cell after the neurotransmitters have already been released from it and created a synaptic connection.

This scheme of action allows Reduxin to increase the amount of serotonin and norepinephrine in the intercellular space (and therefore in the bloodstream). And its use relieves symptoms of depression, dulls hunger, accelerates satiety with food and metabolism (the action of norepinephrine and adrenaline is aimed at stimulating metabolism and activity of the cardiovascular system).

About the drug

Reduxin (REDUKSIN) is a domestic drug for weight loss, the main active component of which is sibutramine, a potent substance with a complex effect on the body.

Its first and main effect is to provide an anorexigenic effect, which is based on blocking the reuptake of neurotransmitters in the synapses of the brain, as a result of which a feeling of satiety occurs much earlier than usual.

The second effect is associated with stimulating metabolism. In this case, the body begins to experience a greater need for energy, the consumption of which begins to increase. All this leads to the fact that the absorption of food and the use of nutrients contained in food is much more active.

Release forms

Sibutramine is included not only in Reduxin, but also in:

• "Meridia";
• "Goldline";
• "Obestata";
• "Green Bomb"
• "Reduce";
• "Zhuidemena";
• "Slimii."

Reduxin also has “intraspecific” variations - a common way to evade the restrictions imposed on the drug for over-the-counter sales. Its “official” version is called “Reduxin” and is sold in packs of ten capsules, in a dosage of 10 mg (blue capsules) or 15 mg (blue capsules). But besides it, there are also “Reduxin Light” and “Reduxin Met”.

• "Reduxin Light". It is registered as a dietary supplement (not considered a medicine), does not contain sibutramine and is sold without a prescription. The similarity of its name with the anorexigen “Reduxin” is an advertising ploy; it is one of the isomers of linoleic acid, which has an antitumor effect, but does not in any way affect the gain/decrease of fat or muscle mass (proven by a number of independent studies in the USA). And the positive reviews about “Reduxin Light” are explained either by the placebo effect, or by the same advertising.
• "Reduxin Met". A mixed preparation, each package of which contains 30 capsules of sibutramine at a dosage of 15 mg and 60 tablets of metformin at 850 mg. Metformin is an antidiabetic drug - a biguanide (a derivative of guanidine - a component of goat's rue) that blocks the synthesis of glucose in the liver. It is used separately, in the stage of prediabetes and diabetes mellitus, in combination with insulin compensation. Both components of the product should be taken simultaneously. "Reduxin Met" is nephro- and hepatotoxic due to the presence of metformin, and therefore is sold only by prescription.

Speaking about which “Reduxin” is more effective for weight loss, we can only summarize: “Reduxin Light” does not have any weight-reducing effect. And the use of “Reduxin Met” for weight loss is relevant if weight gain leads to an increase in insulin resistance and/or the patient’s blood sugar level.

Metformin is considered one of the drugs suitable for use in dietetics for the treatment of obesity. But it, like all biguanides, is extremely toxic to the kidneys and liver and can cause lactic acidosis (excessive formation of lactic acid, which indicates the destruction of muscle tissue). And most of these side effects do not go away after stopping the drug.

Reduxin's analogs

Level 4 ATX code matches:

If necessary, you can choose a substitute for Reduxin. There are analogues, but they are cheaper or more expensive, depending on the manufacturer. For example, the Russian-made Global analogue has a lower price. The price of Reduxin analogues also depends on the number of tablets in the package. Analogs of the drug are the drugs Lindaxa , Meridia , Reduxin Met , Slimia , Gold Line .

What is the difference between Reduxin and Reduxin Light?

When choosing a drug, patients often ask the question: which is better - Reduxin or Reduxin Light . You should immediately take into account the differences in the composition of these funds. The instructions indicate that Reduxin Light is a supplement that contains conjugated linoleic acid, vitamin E and additional substances. The active components of the product help normalize metabolism and activate fat processing. However, Reduxin Light is most appropriate to use with an active lifestyle and constant physical activity. The price, compared to LS Reduxin, is slightly lower. The drug Reduxin has a different mechanism of action. Therefore, in each individual case, the doctor individually determines what is more effective and what is best prescribed to the patient. When discussing Reduxin and Reduxin Light, patients leave varied reviews, from positive to less enthusiastic.

Which is better: Goldline or Reduxin?

If we compare the two drugs, it should be noted that the active substance of Goldline is also sibutramine. The product is available in capsules. The doctor must determine which drug is appropriate to use.

Which is better: Reduxin or Orsoten?

Orsoten is an intestinal enzyme inhibitor. By reducing the activity of gastric and intestinal lipases, it reduces the intake of calories into the body and thus promotes weight loss. Reduxin acts differently, so the choice of drug should be made only by a doctor, guided by the individual characteristics of the patient.

Indications

Sibutramine was developed from the very beginning as an antidepressant. Then it became one of many drugs repurposed to treat completely different diseases, including “helping” diet. Until 2008, Reduxin was prescribed for:

• bulimia - overeating caused by psychogenic trauma, the antipode of anorexia;
• depression - which is often accompanied by a craving for overeating due to the presence of a strong reflex relationship between satiety and a feeling of comfort and well-being;
• obesity - all its cases, including those that occur due to temporary hormonal imbalance (pregnancy, postpartum background changes in women, menopause in both sexes), as well as endocrine pathologies such as diabetes;
• hypotension - a relatively rare disorder that is expressed in low blood pressure instead of the typical high blood pressure;
• cardiovascular diseases - atherosclerosis and its complications such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

But the results of monitoring the massive and long-term use of the drug led first to a narrowing of the range of its prescriptions, and then to the introduction of restrictions on its sale and the addition of the drug to the list of doping substances prohibited for use by athletes. Now the list of indications for the use of Reduxin is limited to nutritional (caused by overeating and/or physical inactivity) obesity with or without complications such as diabetes mellitus.

Contraindications

Reduxin diet pills can be used by people with kidney failure and those on dialysis. It is prohibited to use the product if you are individually intolerant to its active substances. In addition, people whose obesity is caused by hypothyroidism should refrain from taking capsules. Other contraindications for Reduxin:

• mental illness (including bulimia, anorexia);
• early age (up to 18 years);
• pregnancy, lactation;
• generalized tics;
• taking MAO inhibitors;
• use of medications that affect the central nervous system;
• taking tryptophan-based sleeping pills;
• use of other drugs for weight loss;
• tachycardia;
• thyrotoxicosis;
• heart failure, congenital organ defects;
• arrhythmia;
• arterial pathology;
• stroke, circulatory disorders;
• serious disturbances in liver function;
• hypertension;
• angle-closure glaucoma;
• benign prostatic hyperplasia;
• age after 65 years;
• pheochromocytoma;
• addiction (drug/alcohol/medicine).

Restrictions

Sibutramine significantly interferes with the functioning of the central nervous system. This property is its main harm in some pathologies accompanied by a set of extra pounds. Bulimia and depression, as mental pathologies with a physiological “continuation,” were among the first to disappear from the list of drug prescriptions, becoming contraindications. “Reduxin” turned out to be a bad antidepressant due to a pronounced “reset” in insomnia, increased anxiety, and suicidal thoughts after a period of serotonin euphoria caused by its use.

Among the ways of obesity in which its use is acceptable, everything except overeating has been eliminated. Reduxin's increase in blood flow speed, vascular tone, heart rate and body temperature was initially perceived as a positive property that promoted the absorption of glucose from food and weight loss. But it turned out that its long-term use also accelerates the wear and tear of the cardiovascular system and the development of atherosclerosis, and increases complications. An overdose of Reduxin can cause arrhythmia and cardiac arrest.

Such damage to the heart and blood vessels is comparable to the long-term consequences of atherosclerosis, although initially stimulating their activity was supposed to reduce its rate. Currently, taking Reduxin is contraindicated in the following conditions.

• For cholelithiasis. Due to its increased tone and peristalsis of all organs controlled by the central nervous system, including the gallbladder. The use of "Reduxin" for gallstones can provoke their displacement.
• For pathologies of the liver and kidneys. With their obesity, cirrhosis, hepatitis, urolithiasis, nephritis, renal failure. The breakdown and absorption of sibutramine, like other drugs, is carried out primarily by the liver, and its elimination by the kidneys. The accumulation of its metabolites in the blood can lead to an inadequately strong “acceleration” of the central nervous system with an equally pronounced subsequent inhibition.
• With organic obesity. For example, provoked by diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism (decreased production of thyroxine and triiodothyronine by the thyroid gland).
• For neurological disorders. For Tourette's syndrome, tics, neurasthenia.
• In combination with mental illness. For example, with paranoia, manic-depressive psychosis.
• For epilepsy and schizophrenia. In origin, they are closer to neurological disorders, but directly affect the psyche, and therefore are studied in more detail in psychiatry. In the practice of Reduxin therapy, one case was recorded when it led to the development of psychosis in a patient with schizoaffective disorder.
• With developed atherosclerosis. Signs of which include hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke and myocardial infarction.
• For pathologies of the heart and blood vessels. For heart defects, arrhythmia, varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis. “Reduxin” constricts blood vessels and can lead to heart rhythm disturbances, so taking it in the presence of blood clots can result in their blocking vessels of various diameters.
• For glaucoma. Due to increased arterial and capillary pressure during treatment with sibutramine.
• For prostate adenoma. And also for precancer, cancer, endometriosis, ovarian cysts and fibroids. The activation of blood circulation in such neoplasms provoked by the drug can activate their growth and malignancy (transformation into cancer).
• During pregnancy. And breastfeeding. Losing weight when planning a pregnancy is, in general, a dubious idea. To conceive and successfully bear a child, a woman needs a stable estrogen background, and the accumulation and metabolism of female sex hormones occurs in the fat cells of the body. This means that before conceiving, it is wiser for a woman to gain a few extra pounds rather than lose them.

"Reduxin" is also not recommended for children and adolescents, the elderly, especially those suffering from senile dementia or Alzheimer's disease. It is not suitable for the prevention of obesity or other diseases, and is strictly prohibited for use in cases of alcoholism and/or drug addiction. The simultaneous use of sibutramine with alcohol does not affect the dynamics of alcohol intoxication or hangover. But this incompatibility applies to all antidepressants, antipsychotics and drugs that regulate the functioning of the central nervous system.

Sibutramine, like alcohol or drugs, with long-term use can cause depression, headaches, and suicidal thoughts. And the combined effect on the patient’s psyche of “Reduxin” and other neurotoxic substances can be fatal.

Composition of the drug

One of the main reasons that causes weight gain is an uncontrollable desire to eat.

Overweight people eat a lot and quickly, slim people are selective in their diet, they need food to cover energy costs and enjoyment.

If over a long period of time a person consumes significantly more calories than he burns, then all the excess is stored in reserve in the form of fat deposits.

Reduxin Light

belongs to the category of dietary supplements, it helps to normalize metabolic processes and helps regulate the amount of food eaten.

Increased appetite is a companion to many serious diseases. These include diabetes, hypertension, varicose veins, atherosclerosis, and infertility.

Reduxin contains two main active substances:

1. Sibutramine hydrochloride monohydrate
   . Initially, the substance was part of antidepressant drugs, but over time their effectiveness was disproved. Sibutramine has been noted to significantly suppress appetite, which is why it has been used in weight loss medications. The action of sibutramine is due to the activation of beta adenoceptors in the brain. As a result, a person experiences a state of happy excitement, and the feeling of hunger is dulled.
2. Microcrystalline cellulose
   . MCC is a natural fiber isolated from plant products. This substance has no nutritional value, but it swells in the stomach, creating a feeling of fullness, preventing overeating. The positive effect of MCC also lies in the fact that coarse fibers, passing through the intestines, help normalize its work and cleanse it.

Side effects

The list of side effects of Reduxin is no less than the list of its contraindications. The drug may provoke:

• sleep disorders;
• dry mouth;
• headache;
• unreasonable anxiety, nervousness;
• depression;
• suicidal thoughts;
• dizziness;
• limb spasms;
• changes in taste perception;
• back pain;
• increased sweating and hot flashes;
• tachycardia;
• hypertension, up to crisis;
• acceleration of pulse and heart contractions;
• loss of appetite, up to anorexia;
• acute constipation;
• nausea and vomiting;
• increased hemorrhoidal bleeding.

Episodes were also recorded when treatment of obesity with Reduxin caused nephritis, rhinitis, thrombocytopenia, dysmenorrhea in women, swelling of the extremities, and uncontrollable thirst in patients. Rumors about the development of dependence on it have not received clinical confirmation. Instead, a number of patients experienced phenomena of a “transition period” - with changes in the functioning of the heart and blood vessels, the central nervous system, but without a pathological desire to return to sibutramine.

Instructions for use of "Reduxin"

You should drink Reduxin for weight loss once a day, before or after meals. Taking any medications after meals is preferable due to their irritating effect on the digestive tract and the risk of developing drug-induced gastritis when taken on an empty stomach. The daily dosage of Reduxin tablets is individual and can be adjusted according to the body's response to therapy. Obesity treatment regimens are as follows.

• Standard. Most often, patients are prescribed 10 g of sibutramine per day.
• Poor tolerance. If side effects occur or a general deterioration in health, the dosage can be reduced to 5 g per day, and the patient can be switched to taking the drug only after meals.
• Low performance. If the patient loses less than 5% of his current weight per month on Reduxin, the dose is increased to 15 mg per day. Officially, this is the limit of the permissible daily dose of the drug. And if the rate of weight loss still leaves much to be desired, it is wiser to cancel it than to increase the dosage further.

The use of Reduxin should also be discontinued if, after a period of weight loss, the patient begins to gain weight (that is, while continuing to take the drug).

You can use the medicine for weight control in the absence of side effects and overall good response for up to two years in a row. No one knows what will happen if you take sibutramine for even longer - there are no studies on this topic yet. And the regimen for taking Reduxin for weight loss only if you are overweight (without obesity) is calculated for no more than three months.

Reduxin price, where to buy

The price of Reduxin 15 mg No. 60 in Moscow and St. Petersburg is on average 4,500 rubles. The price in Moscow pharmacies for a pack of 90 capsules is on average 5800 – 6000 rubles. You can find out where to buy Reduxin 15 mg in Moscow with delivery in an online store that specializes in selling medicines.

The price of Reduxin 10 mg in Russian pharmacies (in Omsk, Voronezh, Novosibirsk, etc.) is 1700 -1800 rubles for 30 capsules. You can buy a package of 60 capsules of Reduxin 10 mg in St. Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk, and Yekaterinburg for an average of 2,700 rubles. Costs in pharmacies in different cities may vary.

Diet pills in Kyiv, as well as in other cities of Ukraine (Zaporozhye, Odessa, Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk) can be ordered through an online pharmacy. The price of Reduxin in Ukraine via the Internet is on average 2000 hryvnia for a package of 60 capsules. How to buy cash on delivery should be found on websites that specialize in selling the drug.

In Belarus (in Minsk and other cities), as well as in Kazakhstan, you can also buy this drug without a prescription in an online pharmacy. How much the drug costs depends on the packaging and place of sale.

• Online pharmacies in RussiaRussia

ZdravCity

• Reduxin forte tablets p.o.p 850mg+15mg 30pcsBiokhimik OJSC
• Reduxin MET capsules 15mg+153.5mg No. 30 tablets 850mg 60 pcs. Ozone LLC
• Reduxin Light Strengthened capsule formula 650 mg 60 pcs. Polaris LLC
• Reduxin Light capsules 625 mg 30 pcs. Polaris LLC/ Korolev Pharm LLC
• Reduxin Light Strengthened capsule formula 650 mg 30 pcs. Polaris LLC

Pharmacy Dialogue

• Reduxin capsules 15 mg No. 60Ozon LLC
• Reduxin capsules 15 mg No. 90 Moscow endocrine plant
• Reduxin-light capsules No. 30 Polaris LLC
• Reduxin-light enhanced formula capsule 650 mg No. 60Polaris LLC
• Reduxin capsules 10 mg No. 90 Moscow endocrine plant

Substitutes

Reduxin has few safer analogues. Among the “candidates” with a clear composition and operating principle, the following funds can be distinguished.

• Orlistat. The active ingredient in Orsoten has the same low effectiveness as Reduxin (5% of total body weight per month is not much). Orlistat blocks the digestion and absorption of plant and animal fats from food. It can become an effective means of controlling diet and weight for lovers of fatty foods, especially foods rich in hybrid fats - made on the basis of spread or margarine (shortbread cookies, puff pastries, other factory-made baked goods).
• Metformin. The same as in the composition of Reduxin Met. It is sold separately under the names "Siofor", "Glucophage". Its effect on weight loss is significantly higher than that of sibutramine or orlistat, due to its inhibition of glucose synthesis in the liver. For diabetics, it helps control blood sugar levels, and for those losing weight, it helps the body absorb carbohydrates from food. Its only drawback is its side effect on several organs of the digestive tract, including the liver, which rarely goes away after its discontinuation.
• Non-digestible fillers. Fiber or a product called “Porciola”. Plant fiber is not digested or absorbed, which is why the intestines strive to remove it as quickly as possible, which leads to normalization of stool. When taken with food, it occupies part of the volume of the stomach and intestines, accelerating saturation with its own zero calorie content. Its use is prohibited for gastritis, duodenitis and peptic ulcers due to its high irritant properties. And “Porziola” consists of the same indigestible gelling agent - polyacrylic acid carbomer. The principle of its action is similar to fiber. Taking Portiola allows you to avoid overeating and does not irritate areas of inflammation/ulceration, if any. But this drug also has laxative properties and causes increased gas formation and dysbacteriosis when taken for a long time. Although both side effects are reversible immediately after discontinuation of the drug.

The shortage of licensed and effective weight loss products on the market is explained by the fact that such drugs without side effects do not exist. And all of them are created for cases where the benefit from their direct action outweighs the potential harm. The desire to improve your figure and weight, if they are not catastrophic, is not one of these. The optimal method in such situations is to equalize the calorie content of the daily diet with the consumption of incoming carbohydrates. And medicine considers taking “Reduxin” tablets for weight loss or any drug with a similar effect to be reckless for this purpose.

Reviews from doctors

After examination and observation of patients who took Reduxin, doctors’ reviews can be summarized as follows:

• 98.5% of patients experienced a noticeable decrease in appetite;
• The portions eaten and the patient’s usual daily calorie intake are significantly reduced. On average 2 – 2.5 times;
• in the process of taking the drug, those losing weight develop correct eating behavior;
• this drug for weight loss gives the most stable results, which patients manage to maintain for a long time;
• In general, sibutramine is well tolerated by patients and is not addictive.

Thanks to all this, rapid weight loss is achieved. The patient receives visible motivation.

Vladimir Larionov, nutritionist

I know from practice that Reduxin is very helpful in the treatment of obesity, when folk remedies for weight loss are no longer capable of producing a good effect. At the same time, having read only the most general reviews, some women, and often men, begin to drink it on their own. After this, serious side effects occur. I can recommend this drug to combat obesity. But only on condition that a doctor is constantly involved in this process. To achieve a lasting effect, taking the drug should last at least three months, and its use should be combined with moderate physical activity and a balanced diet.