Fact Checked
Medically Reviewed by What is Contrave?
Contrave is an FDA-approved weight-loss drug that helps individuals shed weight faster and keep it off, especially when paired with a low-calorie diet and regular exercise. It is recommended for obese individuals with a BMI greater than 30kg/m2 or overweight individuals with a BMI greater or equal to 27kg/m2.
Contrave contains two main ingredients, Bupropion, an antidepressant, and Naltrexone, an anti-addiction medication. Both of these drugs require a prescription before purchase. Therefore, getting a doctor’s advice and opinions is advisable before taking the Contrave.
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About the Contrave Brand
Curax Pharmaceuticals LLC is the Company behind Contrave. The company was founded in 2019 and currently produces life-changing pharmaceutical products. Their products range from generic to brand products, including Contrave.
Contrave – Quick Facts
The company offers comprehensive information about the product on their website, including Contrave dosage, Contrave reviews, Contrave before and after pictures, Contrave cost, the mechanism of action, and Contrave side effects. They also have a team of healthcare professionals who will guide you through your weight loss journey.
- Highlights:Prescription weight loss medication, FDA approved
- Form:Tablet
- Type:Supplement
- Benefit:Helps promote weight loss in obese and overweight individuals
- Company:Currax Pharmaceutical LLC
- Uses:Weight loss, appetite suppression
- Price:$99.00 per 120 tablets
- Active Ingredients:Naltrexone and Bupropion
Pros And Cons of Contrave
- Contrave pills help with weight loss
- It reduces appetite and cravings
- Free shipping by Contrave manufacturers
- Contrave for weight loss is covered by insurance
- It combines two different medications into a single pill to help you shed weight
- Some serious and potential Contrave side effects can be there
- It can interact with other medications
- Contrave weight loss is expensive
How Does Contrave Rate?
| Feature | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients | 3/5 | The product has two FDA-approved ingredients that can cause severe side effects. They also have possible drug interactions. |
| Price | 3/5 | The medication is pricey, but most insurance companies cover it. You will also have to pay $45 as a consultation fee with a doctor on the website. |
| User ratings | 4/5 | Most users have experienced weight loss results with this product with minimum side effects. |
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*All individuals are unique. Your results can and will vary.
How Does Contrave Work
Normally, when you feel hungry, the brain sends signals to alert you that you need food. Then once you eat, the brain sends another signal to indicate that you are full. However, some individuals have a reduced ability to inhibit the urge to eat. [1]
Such individuals tend to overeat, or binge eat and do not know when to stop. The body converts the food into sugars and stores it as fat, eventually elevating blood sugar levels and leading to obesity.
That is why Contrave is essential. Contrave for weight loss works by reducing hunger and cravings. It acts on two crucial parts of the brain, the hypothalamus or hunger center, to reduce hunger and the mesolimbic system to control cravings.
Contrave pills work best when combined with a low-calorie diet and increased physical activity. This is evident in clinical trials where patients who took Contrave with a healthy diet and exercise lost 5-10% body weight compared to those on placebo. [2] They also got more sustainable results than those who did not exercise or diet.
Contrave Ingredients
The two main Contrave ingredients are Bupropion and Naltrexone. These ingredients are FDA-approved and have been on the market for over 30 years.
Bupropion
Bupropion is an antidepressant drug with weight loss benefits. In numerous studies, Bupropion has been shown to cause weight loss as a side effect in patients taking the drug for its antidepressant effects.
For instance, in a 2016 study investigating the long-term weight changes due to antidepressants, it was discovered that participants who took Bupropion lost 7.1 pounds over the period. [3] In another study, nearly 70% of the participants who took Bupropion lost more than 5% of body weight. [4]
When combined with regular exercise and diet, Bupropion causes significant weight loss and helps users maintain this weight loss. The drug inhibits dopamine and norepinephrine hormones. [5] These hormones play a vital role in satiety, appetite, and feeding behaviors. If elevated, they cause changes in eating habits resulting in weight gain.
Naltrexone
Naltrexone is an FDA-approved opioid receptor antagonist used to treat opioid addiction. It is also used for weight loss since it works on the reward centers in the brain to curb cravings and the urge to eat food as a reward.
When administered in low doses, Naltrexone increases growth hormone, which causes weight loss by increasing fat and carbohydrate metabolism. [6] It also reduces fat storage by inhibiting adipocytes’ uptake of free fatty acids.
Contrave Side Effects
Contrave has numerous side effects ranging from mild to severe. Some mild effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, dizziness, and headache. These Contrave side effects usually disappear within the first four weeks of taking the drug.
Contrave also causes severe side effects such as seizures, opioid overdose, elevated heart rate, and blood pressure. It also causes liver damage, manic episodes, and eye problems. These Contrave side effects warrant immediate medical attention, so be on the lookout for them.
Alternatively, consider exploring other options, such as Serolean, which is claimed to have no side effects.
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*All individuals are unique. Your results can and will vary.
How to Order Contrave
You can purchase the product from Contrave’s official website for only $99.00 per package. Before you make an order, you must fill in your name, date of birth, and email. After that, you will be directed to a page with a medical questionnaire where you will fill in your current prescription, over-the-counter medicine, and any supplements or vitamins you currently take.
A doctor will review this information to determine whether Contrave is right for you. Once they approve your request, you can then proceed to make payments and enter Contrave coupon codes for a discount.
Contrave Alternatives – How Does It Compare With Other Brands?
Below are some other effective weight loss pills available.
| Brand | Mechanism of Action | Ingredients | Supplement Class | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lomaira | Suppresses appetite | Phentermine | Anorectic | $64 generic brand |
| Saxenda | Suppresses hunger | Liraglutide | GLP-1 receptor agonist | $13.47 |
| Lean Body Burn | Reduce cravings and suppresses appetite | Black Walnut and Psyllium Husk | Anorectic and Antiseizure | $59.00 |
| Xenical | Inhibits fat absorption | Orlistat | Lipase inhibitor | $62.40 |
| Wegovy | Suppresses hunger | Semaglutide | GLP agonist | $13.50 |
The Conclusion
Contrave is a weight-loss medication that helps obese and overweight individuals lose weight. To qualify for a prescription, you must have a BMI of more than 27kg/m2, with at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure.
Contrave weight loss works on hunger centers in the brain to reduce hunger and craving, making you less likely to overeat. However, you must have a doctor’s prescription before purchasing the drug. You must also watch out for severe side effects and adverse reactions.
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*All individuals are unique. Your results can and will vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does Contrave Work?
A: Contrave is quite effective in causing weight loss in specific individuals. Contrave dosage works by reducing appetite and curbing cravings. It also inhibits reward centers associated with binge eating or emotional eating.
Q: Who Should Take Contrave Pills?
A: Contrave is recommended for obese individuals with a BMI of 30kg/m2 and overweight individuals with a BMI of 27kg/m2. Contrave is also ideal for obese individuals with weight-related medical issues such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
Avoid Contrave if you are on other medication containing Bupropion or opioid-containing painkillers. Also, avoid it if you have an eating disorder or other mental disorders. Or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Q: How Should I take Contrave?
A: The manufacturer requires you to take the Contrave pills with a glass of water every day. According to their instructions, you should increase your Contrave dosage gradually over the weeks. Start by taking one tablet a day with breakfast during the first week.
Then take one tablet at breakfast and another at dinnertime on the second week. In the third week, take two Contrave pills with breakfast and one with dinner. Then in the fourth week, take two pills with breakfast and dinner.
Q: How Much Weight Can I Lose While Taking Contrave Weight Loss Pills?
A: You can lose 5 to 10% of your body weight in the first six months of using Contrave pills, according to a study evaluating the effects of Contrave on weight loss and maintenance. Also, in another study involving 4500 participants, the drug helped people lose an average of 25 pounds within six months. It also helped them sustain the results for a year. [7] [8]
Q: Can I Take Bupropion and Naltrexone instead of Contrave?
A: Both Bupropion and Naltrexone can be prescribed separately for other uses, including weight loss. Bupropion has more efficacy than Naltrexone when used as a monotherapy for weight loss. However, it has more severe adverse effects.
On the other hand, Naltrexone potentiates the effects of Bupropion, which is why it is advisable to use Contrave instead of using the two drugs separately.
Q: Is Contrave Safe?
A: One of the main Contrave ingredients is Bupropion, which has severe side effects such as suicidal thoughts. It also causes dizziness, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Therefore, you must get a full medical review and doctor’s advice before taking Contrave pills.
Q: Will I Lose Weight Without Diet Or Exercise If I Am On Contrave dosage?
A: Yes. However, Contrave dosage produces more results when combined with dieting and regular exercise. It helps overweight and obese individuals lose weight faster and maintain the results.
Q: Where To Buy Contrave?
A: You can currently buy Contrave from Amazon and as well as other 3rd party retail sites.
READ ALSO – Optavia Review : A Complete Weight Loss Program
7 sources
Health Insiders relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.
[1] Lee NM, Carter A, Owen N, Hall WD. The neurobiology of overeating. Treating overweight individuals should make use of neuroscience research, but not at the expense of population approaches to diet and lifestyle. EMBO Rep. 2012;13(9):785-790. doi:10.1038/embor.2012.115
[2] Contrave for the treatment of Obesity Clinical Trials Arena https://www.clinicaltrialsarena.com/projects/contraveforthetreatm/
[3]Arterburn D, Sofer T, Boudreau DM, Bogart A, Westbrook EO, Theis MK, Simon G, Haneuse S. Long-Term Weight Change after Initiating Second-Generation Antidepressants. J Clin Med. 2016 Apr 13;5(4):48. doi: 10.3390/jcm5040048. PMID: 27089374; PMCID: PMC4850471.
[4] Gadde KM, Parker CB, Maner LG, Wagner HR 2nd, Logue EJ, Drezner MK, Krishnan KR. Bupropion for weight loss: an investigation of efficacy and tolerability in overweight and obese women. Obes Res. 2001 Sep;9(9):544-51. doi: 10.1038/oby.2001.71. PMID: 11557835.
[5] Stahl SM, Pradko JF, Haight BR, Modell JG, Rockett CB, Learned-Coughlin S. A Review of the Neuropharmacology of Bupropion, a Dual Norepinephrine and Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitor. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2004;6(4):159-166. doi:10.4088/pcc.v06n0403
[6] Villa P, Fulghesu AM, De Marinis L, Valle D, Mancini A, Pavone V, Caruso A, Lanzone A. Impact of long-term naltrexone treatment on growth hormone and insulin secretion in hyperandrogenic and normal obese patients. Metabolism. 1997 May;46(5):538-43. doi: 10.1016/s0026-0495(97)90191-8. PMID: 9160821.
[7] Evaluating Contrave for Weight Maintenance in Adults With BMI >= 27 Kg/m2, After 6 Month Behaviour Modification Program. (COR-WM). Clinical Trials https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04589130
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Health Insiders Team
The Health Insiders Team takes pride in bringing you the latest in nutritional research, skincare, healthy living, and wellness hacks. Together our researchers, journalists, dermatologists, and health experts have decades of pertinent experience generating and editing content for Health Insiders. [Read Full Bio]
Dr. Meghan Scott, BScH, BScAHN, MBBS, RD
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Before taking Contrave pills, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems.