• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.22-31
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• 2022

Objectives Recently, weight loss has emerged as a national concern in South Korea, and this has resulted in an increase in the frequency of use of central nervous system (CNS)-stimulating appetite suppressants. This study aimed to collect cases of psychotic disorders and bipolar disorders triggered by phentermine and phendimetrazine and explore the clinical features and courses. Methods In this retrospective study, we analyzed the electronic medical records of patients and selected eight patients who developed psychotic symptoms and manic symptoms for the first time after taking phentermine and phendimetrazine. All cases were reviewed, and their clinical features and course were summarized. Results All eight patients developed psychotic symptoms, and one had accompanying manic symptoms. The final diagnosis was appetite-suppressant-induced psychotic disorder in four patients, schizophrenia in three, and appetite-suppressant-induced bipolar disorder in one. In addition, three patients were diagnosed as having substance-use disorder. The key psychotic symptoms of these patients were hallucinations and paranoia. Conclusions These case findings suggest that phentermine and phendimetrazine can cause psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, or substance use disorder and that medical professionals and the public should practice caution when prescribing and using these drugs.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.35-38
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• 2014

Phentermine has been widely used as an appetite suppressant since 2004 in Korea. The authors experienced two cases of acute phentermine overdose and report with the literature review. A 36-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman presented together to the emergency department with taking 13 tablets (390 mg) of phentermine 16 hours ago. They had tachycardia, hypertension and complained visual symptoms, nausea, insomnia and anxiety. These symptoms were resolved by conservative management.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.104-113
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to analyze and consumption patterns diet/low-calorie food. Ubjects were 353 adult women aged 20s~50s. Ubjects were divided into three groups according to body mass index (BMI): Normal group (BMI>23.0), overweight group (23.0${\leq}$BMI<25.0), and obesity group (BMI${\geq}$25.0). This study collected all information by self-administrated questionnaires. The SPSS version 21.0 was used for analysis of data. The obesity group lower education level (p<0.001), higher age (p<0.001) and higher income (p<0.001) than normal group. However, score of health status was highest in normal group (p<0.001). Proportion of obesity group pill type diet/low-calorie (p<0.034), drug (diuretic, appetite suppressant and riental medicine) (p<0.001), and cosmetic surgery (p<0.001). The main reason for consumption of diet/low-calorie was control without starving (28.0%). Obese group emphasized manufacturer, ingredient and reputation, whereas the normal group emphasized price and expected effectiveness (p<0.001).

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.89-101
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• 2005

Obesity is increasing worldwide and has become a major health burden in Western societies affecting every third American and every fifth European. Obesity makes a major contribution to morbidity and mortality, predisposing individuals to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Many new substances are currently being investigated for their usefulness in the pharmacotherapy of obesity. Most anti-obesity drugs can be divided into four groups: those that reduce food intake; those that alter metabolism; those that increase thermogenesis; and those that regulate hormone involved in feeding behavior. In this article we review these and other agents available in various countries for the treatment of obesity. Perhaps more importantly, we have focussed on areas of potential productivity in the future. Over the last 5 or so years, this impetus in obesity research has provided us with exciting new drugs targets involved in the regulation of feeding behavior and cellular mechanism involved in energy expenditure. Recent development in the quest for control of human obesity include the discovery of hormones, neuropeptides, receptors and transcription factors involved in feeding behavior, metabolic rate and adipocyte development. For developing new, perhaps even more specific pharmacological agents, further research is needed to understand the individual different genetic and physiological basis of obesity. It remains the hope of research scientists that in the not too distant future we shall see a new class of anti-obesity drugs arising logically from the molecular biology revolutions.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.155-169
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• 1997

This study investigated the effect of weight control by using the commercial appetite suppressant ((-)-hydroxycitric acid(HCA) formula) and nutrition education on 72 obese women over a period of 8 weeks. During the study it conducted nutritional education for women to control their weight, thus analyzed their changes in anthropometric variables. All obese women were randomized in a double-blind method to consume either HCA(HCA group : experimental group) or placebo(placebo group : control group). Two groups were also divided randomly into 2 groups combined with commercial formula diet in 1 meal a day(HD group and PD group : HCA + gormula diet and placebo + formula diet) or not(HO group and conducted with 4 groups(HD, HO, PD, and PO group). All subjects were assigned to consume 800-1500kcal/d balanced diet which is 500kcal less than their usual energy requirement. To evaluate the effect of the weight control program, weight, percent of body fat, waist and hip circumferences, and 5 skinfold thickness were measured up to 5 times in all obese women. The mean weight of the subjects at the onset of the study was 76.5$\pm$10.6kg. The mean body mass index(BMI) wa 30.1$\pm$3.8 and it was in the upper 5 percentile of mean BMI of Korean women. At the end of the program, mean weight loss was 3.5kg after 2 weeks(p<0.001), and 5.8kg after 4 weeks(p<0.001). The waist, hip ratio(WHR) and skinfold thickness measurements of biceps, triceps, subscapular, suprailiac and abdominum showed significant reduction over the entire study period(p<0.05). These outcome were evaluated by effect of nutritional education and counselling. The reduction of % of body fat was significantly different among the 4 groups. Women who administrated HCA demonstrated more change in weight, BMI than the placebo group. There was also significant reduction in body composition (% of body fat, WHR, and skinfold thickness) than the other groups. The HD group which was administrated HCA combined with formula diet was more decreased than other groups. It showed that this program using commercial HCA and formula diet induced not only a change in weight but also a change in body composition. The outcome of this study suggests that HCA has a more effctive change on weight control which is carried out with nutritional education and counselling.