Revia is not a weight loss drug and can cause serious health hazards if inappropriately used. The following information provides all the answers about this potent yellow, oval-shaped pill.
What Is Revia?
Revia is the brand name for a chemical called naltrexone hydrochloride. It is manufactured by the pharmaceutical giant DuPont Pharma, also responsible for the popular drugs Coumadin and Sinemet. Revia comes in 50 milligram tablets and is only available with a written prescription by a medical doctor. The drug is primarily given to individuals with a drug or alcohol dependency as a method of maintaining a drug-free state after the initial detoxification period of medical treatment. It is often used in conjunction with behavior modification therapy with a high success rate for recovered addicts.
Method of Action
Naltrexone hydrochloride, when taken orally, acts as an opioid antagonist. In other words, this synthetic chemical interrupts the normal path of certain opioid drugs like heroin and morphine. In fact, it is shown to completely block the subjective effects of intravenously administered opioids. By acting as such an antagonist, Revia significantly decreases the physiological cravings experienced by drug addicts. Interesting to note, however, is the fact that this chemical does not pose any dependency potential by its users.
The route of action for treating alcohol dependency is not completely understood. Unlike intravenous drugs, alcohol is an oral drug making the above known action insignificant. However, clinical trials show that Revia does act upon the same opioid receptor sites in the body as it does for the other substances. Alcohol consumption is profoundly reduced in studies done with recovering alcoholics in terms of abstention and relapse rates.
The Revia for Weight Loss Concept
While purely an assumption, using Revia for weight loss has been questioned in the scientific world. A few studies have been conducted regarding the association between obesity and drug therapy with Revia. Eating disorders, mainly bulimia, have been studied as well. Preliminary findings indicate that the drug has an effect on food cravings and the customary binge eating episodes that often follow. One clinical trial found that there was a significant reduction in bingeing and purging episodes in patients with bulimia nervosa. The decrease was also cited in anorexic patients with a bingeing subtype. Another study showed that low doses of Revia at 50 to 100 milligrams per day were ineffective in treating bulimics while large doses of 200 to 300 milligrams per day did substantially reduce the number of bingeing and purging incidents. The theory behind the effect on bulimia stems from the known fact that bulimics have a greater incidence of substance abuse than any of the other eating disorders. It is this substance abuse tendency that is highly associated with Revia's method of action. Conclusively, fewer binge episodes have lead to the idea that Revia for weight loss is indeed on the horizon.
Health Warnings
Revia for weight loss is far from being a popular diet drug, unlike Alli, which is soon to be available without a prescription. Without doubt, Revia is a highly potent drug that requires close monitoring by a medical professional during its use. The following health conditions are associated with Revia's misuse:
- Liver disease or failure
- Kidney disease or failure
- Hallucinations
- Confusion
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Coma
Most importantly, the warnings for Revia are directly related to the substance being abuse, such as alcohol or heroine. Revia is undoubtedly an extremely hazardous and life-threatening drug if taken with the offending substance. For this reason, Revia is only prescribed when detoxification has been thoroughly completed. While this may not always affect Revia use for weight loss purposes, it is critical information due to the high incidence of substance abuse among patients with eating disorders.
Weight Loss Without Revia
Losing weight is not always an easy journey for many people. For this reason, seeking out the latest tools to make it less difficult is a common step in the process. Revia weight loss pills are not the answer, however.
With a healthy, balanced eating plan and a bit of regular physical activity within a person's limit, weight loss can be manageable, safe, and long-term. Weight loss pills, supplements, books, foods, and strategies are widely available and will inevitably continue to be presented to consumers in one way or another. It is only with personal commitment, appropriate support, and persistence that healthy lifestyles are adopted and weight managed. While there are situations that require medical intervention for weight loss, from simple drug intervention with Meridia to the more drastic plan for weight loss surgery, the daily habits of healthful food choices and moderate exercise remain constant elements in the big picture.
