Qsymia for Weight Loss: How Does Qsymia Work

Qsymia and Weight Loss?

Multiple large clinical trials over the past decade have shown that Qsymia effectively reduces body weight and improves blood pressure and cholesterol levels. 

In the CONQUER trial published in 2011, researchers conducted a large clinical trial involving over 200 patients from 93 different hospitals on how effective Qsymia is on obesity and weight-associated comorbidities like hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, or prediabetes. Participants were given different doses of Qsymia (7.5mg/46mg or 15mg/92mg) along with lifestyle modifications for a 56-week period. The results showed that participants taking Qsymia noticed an average of 8 - 10 kg (17-22 lbs) change in weight after the 56-week period. This was compared to the 1.4kg change in the placebo group that received no medication. 

This study was followed up by the SEQUEL trial, a 52-week extension to the CONQUER trial to study the long-term efficacy and safety of Qsymia. From the CONQUER trial, 676 patients were enrolled in this trial for the extended 52 weeks. At the end of the study, participants noticed a sustained weight loss effect of around 9-10% of their body weight from the start of the study. It was also found that there was a reduction in rates of adverse effects after the 108-week period, showing that people were able to tolerate taking Qsymia over a longer period of time. It was also shown that Qsymia improved blood pressure and decreased the rate of diabetes when compared to the placebo group. 

Qsymia was also studied in patients suffering from severe obesity (BMI > 35). In the EQUIP trial published in 2011, researchers enrolled 512 participants who were struggling with severe obesity and gave them different doses of Qsymia (3.5mg/23mg or 15mg/92mg) for a 52-week period (3). The participants also started a calorie-restricted diet while taking Qsymia for the duration of the study. After 52 weeks, participants taking Qsymia lost an average of 5-10% of their baseline body weight, with higher doses leading to a higher percent change. The researchers also noticed a significant reduction in waist circumference, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.