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Cimetidine for Weight Loss

Cimetidine is commonly used to treat ulcers, acid reflux and heartburn. It decreases the amount of acid made in the stomach. Cimetidine is sold over the counter as Tagamet and comes as a tablet or liquid. Cimetidine also has been found to work as an appetite suppressant. This is known to help people who are obese lose weight. It specifically helps them when they are trying to restrict calories.

  1. Weight Loss

    • Cimetidine is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for weight loss but studies show it is helpful to some people trying to lose weight. It is not fully known how cimetidine works to help with weight loss. There is evidence that cimetidine increases the cholecystokinin hormone that helps you feel full. The medicine is most effective if it's taken before meals. Cimetidine is also beneficial for someone who is hungry between meals. People who take cimetidine for at least eight to 12 weeks have the best weight loss results.

    Results of One Study

    • A study done in 1992 looked at 60 people. They were divided into two groups. Half of them were given a placebo and the other half were given cimetidine. The group taking cimetidine felt significantly less hungry than the group taking the placebo. They also lost more weight overall, particularly around their hips and stomachs.

    Diabetes and Weight Loss

    • A study of 43 overweight type II diabetics was published in 2006. It found people taking cimetidine for three months lost 11 pounds, while people taking a placebo lost 2.9 pounds. The group taking cimetidine took 400 mg three times a day a half hour before each meal. The group taking cimetidine decreased their body fat from 30 percent to 25 percent on average. They also had better results when it came to insulin and sugar tests. The weight loss in the cimetidine group was 89 percent body fat compared to 85 percent body fat in the group taking the placebo.

    Side Effects

    • The most common side effects of cimetidine are diarrhea, dizziness, tiredness, headache and rash. It is recommended you don't take more than 2,400 mg of cimetidine a day. Other side effects include a state of confusion in elderly and seriously ill patients. This condition is reversible. Breast enlargement and impotence have occasionally affected men who were on high doses of the medication.

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