Spironolactone and Weight Loss

Many medications claim to have weight-loss benefits.

Myriad medications, supplements, gadgets and gizmos promise to help in your struggle to achieve your ideal weight. Some can help, while others have little value. Spironolactone is a medication available by prescription from your doctor that treats a host of ills--and may be an aid in your dieting arsenal.

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What Spironalactone Is

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Some medicines may help weight loss, but diet and exercise usually are key.

According to Drugs.com, spironolactone works on the cardiovascular system. It works by blocking the body's ability to absorb most salts and sodium and forcing the body to maintain a low potassium level. It is also known under the brand name Aldactone.

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Why It's Prescribed

Spironolactone is most commonly used to treat high blood pressure. It is also a powerful diuretic, flushing excess fluid from the body and treating the symptom of water retention. It's also used to treat hyperaldosteronism, a condition related to an overactive adrenal gland.

Weight Loss

It is unclear whether spironolactone can help in the fight to lose weight. It definitely flushes fluid from the body, helping you to look and feel slimmer in the short term, and one of the side effects is a loss of appetite, according to the National Institutes of Health. But there is no guarantee each user will lose weight on this drug, and it is not currently prescribed for dieting.

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Precautions

The medicine should not be taken without careful thought and discussion with your doctor. Spironolactone has been known to cause headache, heartburn, sores, foul breath, ulcers, vomiting, changes to urine and bowel functions, chills, fever, weakness and fatigue, among others, according to Drugs.com

Diet and Exercise

This medicine may help with weight loss, but the best solution to your weight problem is regular exercise and a moderate, calorie-controlled diet

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