How Do Appetite Suppressants Work?

Paul Bolger, MD, has served as an emergency medicine physician at Trinity Medical Center in Illinois and Iowa since 2002, and is the department’s former medical director. In addition to his responsibilities as an attending physician, Dr. Paul Bolger owns Medical Aesthetics and Wellness Center in Davenport, Iowa.

At the Center, Dr. Bolger and his staff provide patients with various cosmetic and weight-loss services. Among the latter are customized weight loss plans, body sculpting, and appetite suppressant prescriptions.

Appetite suppressants are generally prescribed to individuals who are on, or preparing begin, a diet in order to lose weight. The pills are intended to simplify the dieting process; they decrease one’s cravings for food by affecting serotonin levels in the brain.

Serotonin naturally curbs hunger. Its production is triggered by the consumption of carbohydrates, but if an individual is seeking to lose weight, he or she may be avoiding these starchy foods. In such cases, an appetite suppressant offers an alternate way to shut off food cravings: it increases serotonin much like carbohydrates do. Once a serotonin balance is reached, hunger cravings diminish. 

While appetite suppressants can be beneficial to those trying to lose weight, they are generally a short-term solution. Since the pills may become less effective as time goes on, they are usually recommended as supplements to other weight loss practices, such as healthy eating and exercise.

SAMS Foundation’s Efforts to Provide Critical Medical Care in Aleppo

 



Dr. Paul Bolger is a respected emergency physician who practices with UnityPoint Health-Trinity Medical Center, and also leads a Davenport, Iowa, wellness and aesthetics clinic. Paul Bolger, MD, supports a number of charitable organizations, including local food banks and the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) Foundation.

Established nearly a decade ago, the SAMS Foundation focuses on providing care to those most in need in Syria and beyond. A recent report from Aleppo points to the dire situation of those living under the constant threat of aerial bombardment in a city of 300,000, including 85,000 children.

Unfortunately, health care providers are a major target. Two of the largest hospitals SAMS maintains were recently damaged severely in airstrikes, to the point where they were taken out of service. As of late September, only a half-dozen ICU beds were operational in the entire war-torn city.

With more than a dozen attacks on medical facilities occurring within a three month period, physicians are now forced to select between patients in providing life-saving treatment. The SAMS Foundation is seeking resources to continue its critical work in Aleppo and prevent the tragedy from becoming much worse.