User rating
Keep up with Diets in Review
Get Weekly Email Updates (sample)
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our RSS
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
Follow us on Pinterest
Home 
Diets
Diet Supplements
How Does
Contrave Compare?
BACKGROUND
Start the Diet Now Advertisement
PRO
CON
INGREDIENTS
ADMINISTRATION
DIET and EXERCISE
CONCLUSION
Common Misspellings
Whats better than
Contrave?
Diets
Diet Supplements
Contrave Diet Pills Exposed [UPDATED 2024] - Does It Work?
A breakthrough diet pill that attacks cravings and appetite.
Top Rated Diet Pills of 2024What is it?
Contrave is a weight loss pill that claims it’s the #1 prescribed medication for weight loss. It’s made up of an antidepressant drug and an appetite reducing drug.
Diet and exercise are required, and the intended results are to help rewire brain chemistry to reduce eating. The company does admit it’s not sure how this brand can help with weight loss, but they state that it may help. Since it’s a prescription drug, it’s only offered if a doctor recommends it. Contrave is only allowed for those with a BMI of 30 or higher, or those with a BMI of 27 or higher with an obesity related disease. You’ll learn in this review about what it can do for weight loss, how customers rate it, and other important facts.
In reviewing many weight loss diet pills, our review experts have found Sletrokor to be the most effective. It offers natural plant based extracts that are free of stimulants and made to help promote well rounded weight loss. For more information on Sletrokor click on the link cited here.
Do You Know the Best Weight Loss Pills of 2024?
Contrave Ingredients and Side Effects
|
Naltrexone Hydrochloride |
Bupropion Hydrochloride |
Microcrystalline Cellulose |
Hydroxypropryl Cellulose |
|
Lactose Anhydrous |
L-cysteine hydrochloride |
Crospovidone |
Magnesium Stearate |
|
Hypromellose |
Edetate Disodium |
Lactose Monohydrate |
Colloidal Silicon Dioxide |
|
Opadry II Blue |
FD&C Blue #2 Aluminum Lake |
|
|
Naltrexone Hydrochloride: This drug is usually used to help give relief to those addicted to opioids. It blocks the absorption of opioid drugs such as heroin, pain pills, and more.
It is also used alongside therapy and support for helping relieve addictions. Possible side effects are many and they include:
- Nausea, anxiety, and dizziness.
- Insomnia, abdominal pain, and restlessness.
- Muscle aches, joint and bone pain, and runny nose.
- Hallucinations, confusion, and withdrawal symptoms.
- Serious allergic reactions, swelling, and hives.
Drugs.com also adds:
“Patients should be warned of the risk of hepatic injury”
“Depression, suicide, attempted suicide and suicidal ideation have been reported”
It may also negatively interactions with other medications and supplements. It’s advised to seek the support of a medical doctor, and to be aware of a potential for serious allergic effects.
This takes awareness of one’s own experience with medication, and to be aware of any symptoms that aren’t normal. Click on the link here for a list of the top ranked weight loss diet pills.
Bupropion Hydrochloride: Drug used to treat depression. It changes chemicals in the brain and is used to produce a good feeling. There’s also use of it for helping treat addiction, and to lower the risk of anxiety.
It’s advised not to take this if one has a history of heart, kidney, liver, or brain problems. Possible side effects can include:
- Insomnia, restlessness, and sweating.
- Nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.
- Ringing in the ears, headache, and dry mouth.
- Increased blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, and memory loss.
- Anxiety, agitation, and unusual weight loss or weight gain.
- Difficulty concentrating, confusion, and erratic behavior.
There are several other possible side effects, and it’s advised to seek medical attention for certain symptoms. In some people this may cause a serious allergic reaction. According to the Annals of Internal Medicine:
“bupropion… promote modest weight loss when given along with recommendations for diet”
This effect was not seen in all people, and there’s still the risk for serious potential side effects.
Due to this ingredients effects on mood, boxed of Contrave come with a warning that it may increase the likelihood of suicide. That’s why it’s highly advised to monitor any mood changes, and to seek the continued support of a certified physician.
Opadry II Blue: A patented form of food coloring. It’s used to help coat pills and to make them easier to absorb.
It’s unknown what possible side effects it may have.
FD&C Blue #2 Aluminum Lake: Artificial food dye often found in pill coatings. It has no nutritional value, and is only added to give the pills a blue color.
There’s a possibility for it causing allergic raections and hypearctiivy in certain people.
EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this supplement with a proven fat burner such as Sletrokor for better results.
Contrave Quality of Ingredients
This brand is made with 2 active ingredients, a drug often used to block opioids and a drug that helps decrease appetite and reduce the risk of depression. There are several possible side effects to consider, and not everyone reacts to this combination the same.
There are also a lot of considerations asuch as avoiding high fat meals, starting with small amounts to start with then building up, and not mixing it alongside certan ingredints. It’s also recommended to avoid this if one has a history of certain illnesses, or if one is prone to seizure.
The ingredients added to this formula may produce a weight loss effect, but only certain peoole can even consider taking it. Still, a doctor needs to prescribe it and deem a person healthy , yet still obese enough to take it.
The manfacturers state this is only a short term solution, and that diet and exercise are necessary. Due to all these issues, the quality of ingredients is very poor. The list of top 10 diet pill supplements has the best weight loss solutions.
The Price and Quality of Contrave
Pricing can vary on Contrave, with estimates around $55 a month to $200 a month depending on location, dosing ,and whether or not insurance covers it.
Since only 2 of the ingredients are actually active, the majority are added to either stabilize the capsules, or to give them a unique color. These inactive ingredients have no weight loss effect at all.
No long term study has been performed to show what kinds of cardiovascular effects it may have. So it’s unknown what the potential rate of heart damage might be.
This brand is particularly expensive, and the manufacturers admit they’re not certain how it works. There are other options for weight loss such as the top 10 diet pills featured when you click here.
Before being able to use this brand one has to consider several possivle inteactions. There is also nio guarantee of safety or effecitvneess. Still, evne with a doctors prescription, it’s unknown how this drug may affect you. You’ll see in the “Customer Opinions of Contrave” section that many failed to experience any results, and that side effects were a major issue.
Business of Contrave
The owners go by the name of Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. They can be reached via the following:
Phone Number: (877) 825-3327
Address: One Takeda Parkway
Deerfield, Illinois 60015
Since it’s a prescription drug, no returns are allowed on Contrave.
The company has had major lawsuits for creating harmful drugs. A $2.37 billion settlement was givne to 9,000 people who suffered from bladder cancer.
A $37 million dollar fine was also imposed for them hidng the risk of cancer in one of their drugs. The company was going to conduct a long-term study on cardiovascular effects of Contrave, but they cut it short and did not release any of the findings.
EDITOR’S TIP: For the best results, our experts recommend using weight loss pills for at least 3 months. Save your money by buying a few bottles at once.
Customer Opinions of Contrave
Many reviews are avialble online, here’s what a few users had to say:
“I could not take this pill, I was physically drained”
“Garbage. I didn’t lose a pound”
“I’m rapidly gaining weight. I gained 8lbs in 30 days”
“I took it for 4 months and didn’t lose any weight”
Though some did lose weight, there were often common complaints that include anxiety, restlessness, extreme fatigue, headaches, and loss of sex drive, mood swings, and many other issues.
The most often listed side effect was fatigue. Many were unable to continue doing their regular routine, as they were often bedridden.
Drugs.com compiled a list of the ratings, and the average rating for weight loss was 5.9 out of 10. Many thought it was an unfavorable drug. Oddly enough, some people actually gained weight.
Nor everyone reacts to this drug the same, the major problem was a lack of consistency. Unlike supplements, this drug works deep within the brain to change how chemicals are sent. When dealing with drugs like this, it’s impossible for anyone to determine what a likely affect might be. Though as mentioned, no returns are offered.
Conclusion - Does Contrave Work?
When analyzing Contrave it’s important to look at the customer reviews, what considerations need to be made, and how the manufacturers operate. Not only are there several serious potential side effects, but the makers have no idea exactly how this drug works. Diet and exercise are required, and it’s not guaranteed for weight loss as no money back policy is offered. The manufacturers have also lost lawsuits for making drugs that caused cancer and organ damage. Contrave requires a lot of considerations, and may people failed to see any weight loss.
The 2024 best supplement of the year award was won by Sletrokor. It contains only natural ingredients, no stimulants, and it’s available without a prescription. This diet pill has helped people lose weight, and you can read real testimonials from satisfied customers on their website. Sletrokor has plant extracts which have been clinically studied. The benefits are numerous and they include improved mood, suppressed appetite, increased metabolism, regulated blood sugar levels, increased energy, and much more.
Sletrokor is also offered risk free; it’s backed by a full 30 day money back guarantee. Returns are allowed with no questions asked. To learn more about Sletrokor, click here.
- Product Name
- User Rating
- Has Good Appetite Suppressant
- Has Only Natural Components
- Contains No Coffee
- Sletrokor
(Editor’s Choice) - 94/100
-
-
-
BACKGROUND
Start the Diet Now Advertisement
While most diet pills are a dime a dozen, once in awhile a promising weight loss pill hits the market that causes even the most skeptical of medical professionals to stop and listen. Contrave is one such product.
Developed by Orexigen Therapeutics, Contrave is actually the combination of two different drugs: The antidepressant medication, buproprion, or Wellbutrin, and the drug naltrexone, which is used to treat alcohol and opiate addiction.
Rather than working to block fat or starches like many prescribed diet pills do, Contrave unleashes its power on the brain, where it works to quell cravings in the brain's highly complex behavior-reward center, and also to temper appetite.
In late-stage clinical trials, Contrave has fared much better than the FDA's standards for improving weight loss, exceeding by five percent. Rather, those who took Contrave while also following a diet and exercise program lost between nine and 15 percent of their body weight while those who did not lost just about five percent of their body weight.
Contrave has also shown few side effects and notably absent are mental health and uncomfortable physical side effects that often come from taking weight loss pills. In fact, those studied showed an improved quality of life while taking the pill.
Contrave is being slated as a chronic diet pill; if you take it and lose weight you will have to continue to take it in order to maintain lost weight. One of the downfalls with most of the diet pills on the market, whether or not they require a prescription, is that once you stop taking them, weight is easily regained. Since Contrave specifically acts on the centers of the brain that govern overeating behaviors and craving desires, there is hope that its ability to suppress these processes will lead to long-term weight loss.
As of July 2009, Orexigen Therapeutics is seeking FDA approval. When and if Contrave is approved for consumer use, it will require a prescription from a medical professional.
Do You Know the Best Diet Pills of 2024?
PRO
- Shows promise in late-stage clinical trials
- Exceeding FDA standards in trials
- Cocktail-like therapy may be the benchmark for future diet pills
- Few side effects
- Weight loss is greater than placebo alone
- If approved, requires a prescription
CON
- May need to take diet pill chronically
- Weight loss advantage is not that significant
- Not a magic solution to healthy eating behaviors and to a healthy weight
- Still awaiting FDA approval
INGREDIENTS
Contrave is a breakthrough weight loss drug because it contains both buproprion and naltrexone.
Buprupion is also known as the branded prescription drug Wellbutrin, a quality anti-depressant.
Naltrexone is a prescription drug used to treat addiction, in cases such as smoking, alcohol or even opiates.
ADMINISTRATION
Contrave will likely be taken daily. Since the drug is awaiting FDA approval, precise dosage instructions are not yet available.
DIET and EXERCISE
A low-fat and low-calorie diet and regular exercise program is followed while taking Contrave. Since this drug does not act on the stomach, there are currently no specific foods that need to be avoided or a particular style of eating that needs to be followed while taking it.
CONCLUSION
Contrave is a new weight loss pill that shows promise for being able to act on the brain's pathways that control cravings and appetite. This new kind of drug, which combines two different kinds of psychopharmaceuticals, is predicted to be the wave of the future for diet pills.
Contrave is still awaiting FDA approval.
Common Misspellings
contrav, contreve, contrive, contrave diet, contrave diet pill, wellbutrin diet pill, crave diet pills, cuntrave, contreav
Featured Diets and Supplements
Contrave?
User Feedback
(Page 3 of 10, 189 total comments)Melissa
I have been on contrave for 3 weeks now and I love it. I was 85 lbs over weight. I've lost 12 lbs so far. I have high bp maintained by medication, and I check it every day and it hasn't risen. I feel normal. I don't feel like I have tons of energy or tired. I am sleeping well and have no problems with constipation like some people. I changed how I eat a year ago and couldn't lose weight. I eat healthy, no pop or junk food. Veggies, fruit, chicken. My big problem before was I was always very hungry at night. Now I have diner and am able to stop eating. Before it was like I couldn't stop. I felt so hungry late at night. Now I am able to listen to my body and say, I've had enough. Like when I was younger. Before having kids. I just hope this continues to work for me and I don't gain weight back when I'm done. I also suffer from SAD and my mood has been better since taking this as well.
posted Mar 4th, 2017 8:03 pmKellyAnn
I've been taking it for several months and have lost 55 pounds. More importantly, I have kept it off. I've always been a yo-yo dieter and this is the first time I've lost weight and sustained it for any length of time.
posted Feb 26th, 2017 12:12 pmIt's not a magic pill and you still have to follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly. You can't continue to eat junk and expect to lose weight because of a pill.
The main side effect for me is incredibly active dreams which wake me several times per night. In the beginning, there were some issues with constipation but that seems to get better by adding more veggies and water to my diet.
Alicia Green
Amazing
posted Jan 18th, 2017 10:47 pmKaren
I have had no side affects as yet. Still my first week. BUT in the first three days I lost 3 lbs! I have less cravings and eat smaller portions. Since one pill a day is working for me so far, I may try this dose longer than a week. I am encouraged by the results thus far!
posted Jan 14th, 2017 7:26 pmheather
why is it people think that if they take a pill they don't have to make any efforts to lose the weight? I am interested very much in this but my Doctor just refuses, he states its due to diet coke. I don't believe that. I have read a lot of postings and things were great but they never mentioned about any exercising being done to increase the weight loss. That is what I want to know, does the weight fall off better with a exercise program. I REALLY want this pill, I am tired of yo-yo dieting.
posted Jan 12th, 2017 6:24 pmJoy T
I am starting my 4th week of taking Contrave and I have gained 4-5lbs since starting this drug. Oddly, I haven't experienced sideeffects and I can tell a significant decrease in my cravings and appetite. I have watched portions and cut back on carbs when starting this pill in order to aide its process. HOW have I gained weight!? How is this possible when it really feels like its working and I have been honestly trying!? The only thing I have not done is adding a significant amount of activity. Please help!!!
posted Jan 9th, 2017 2:09 pmANN
OMG, Contrave works for me, I've been using the medication for 6 months and I have lost 36lbs. I am over the age of 50 and of African American descent, with creeping cholesterol levels and the weight loss now have it under control. I will highly recommend it...
posted Jan 3rd, 2017 5:36 pmkurt witter
my god what can I say about this I was at witts end tried everything out there and nothing would work. I herd about this from my doctor he said I was a good can a date for this and unreal I started at 270 lbs and in six weeks I am down to 232 lbs I love it don't think about food at all . went to the doctor last week he wanted to see how I was doing he said wow it is working wonders for me I am 53 years old I would tell anyone go to the doctor and get a checkup and ask your doctor for this fill out the imfo on this page it is costly my doctor said 294.00$ but fill this out and it was 92$.it does work people give it a try o and I have had no side affects at all 40 inch waist now a 34 inch .
posted Nov 26th, 2016 1:24 pmRenee
It will be 4 months since I have taken Contave, it has been a struggle, basically I got just about all the side effects slightly and briefly. I have only lost 17-18 lbs. I have lost but not as much as I thought I would. It is strange but I don't drink coffee anymore, makes me sick when my whole adult life couldn't live without my 2 cups of coffee a day and I don't crave alcohol anymore. I just think I should be losing at a faster rate.
posted Jun 27th, 2016 1:31 pmDiane
+I have been on Contrave for six months and have lost 40 pounds. The only side effect I have noticed is constipation, but that seems to be subsiding and it really hasn't been that bad. I have had no other side effects. I would definitely recommend this weight loss medication for people that qualify.
posted May 7th, 2016 2:04 pmSusan
+LOVE this medication! I have been on it for 6 months and have lost 35 pounds. I still eat whatever I want just in smaller quantities. I am never hungry and have had no side affects.
posted May 6th, 2016 2:53 pmErica
When I started to take Contrave, the first 3 days I felt a little jittery but nothing I couldn't handle. I felt I had tons of energy and my appetite was supressed right away. But on day 4, I was so sick that I couldn't get out of bed. If I stood up, the room would spin and I was vomiting all day long that day. I couldn't stop vomiting for at least 30 minutes. Needless to say, I never took it again. So I paid $70 for this bottle for nothing. I only took 4 pills because I was only taking the morning dose.
posted May 5th, 2016 11:17 pmBrenda
?At what time daily do most of you take the second dose/pill
alex
I am already on Wellbutrin so the doc added Naltrexone 50mg. First week I took half a pill and now I'm taking the entire 50mg. He said it's the same thing as contrave. So far no side effects and it does reduce my appetite a bit. I will keep everyone posted as I do read reviews and I hate it when people start something and don't keep us posted as to the results. For what I have been reading it's not a loose weight quick pill. So being consistent is key and watching what you eat. What I am paying attention to is the cravings.. is it reducing the cravings? so far no!!
posted Apr 15th, 2016 7:07 pmwill keep you posted in a month.
Pinky
I started it 5 days ago I felt calm no side affects but it did not curb my appetite at all day 4 I feel felt super hungry I will stay on it for at Least 30 days to see what happens .
posted Apr 10th, 2016 10:20 pmMargaret Kahl
+Knowing how medicine affects me when I take it on an empty stomach, I eat breakfast before I take the medicine. So far I have had no side affects (only day 3) but I feel better and my desire and overwhelming need for food consumption which never satisfies is gone for now. Will see and hope it lasts. I feel so much better.
posted Apr 9th, 2016 3:54 pmPunkin
Remember- stopping carbs or severely decreasing carbs can cause migraines and mood swings.....be sure it's ContraveComplete and not the withdrawal symptoms from decreased carbs everyone
posted Mar 31st, 2016 3:02 amLaura Thompson
+I took for 7 months before it stopped having any effect. I lost 37 lbs but in the three months since i stopped taking it I have gained 10 lbs. I still exercise regularly. I have tried to restart but it doesn not effect me at all now. My friend has lost 40+ in 8 months and it is recently stopped working for her as well.
posted Mar 28th, 2016 10:47 pmRoberta
I just started my second week on Contrave. I am hungry all the time. I wasn't this hungry before taking the medication. I also feel a little wonky. I am hoping that feeling will pass...but what's the point of being on this stuff if my appetite has increased? Has anyone else experienced this? I am looking for the medication to kick in.
posted Mar 28th, 2016 8:40 pmLinda danield
I am 1 month into Contave and have lost 18 lbs. I've had no serious side effects ,just slight headaches that don't last very long. Hope to continue til I lose 30 more lbs. So far I love it.
posted Mar 25th, 2016 1:05 am