As a board certified bariatric physician and a member of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians, my primary goal is to provide my patients with both safe and effective treatments to achieve their weight loss goals.  At Peak Nutrition and Weight Loss Clinic we take a comprehensive approach including nutritional counseling with registered dieticians, cognitive behavioral therapy, the highly structured and successful OPTIFAST full meal replacement program, exercise prescriptions, and the appropriate use of appetite suppressants, such as phentermine. 

Dr Phil’s segment stated that people who used phentermine could become addicted to it.  Phentermine has been available to help people lose weight since 1959.  It is not the same as amphetamine (aka “speed”).  In fact, the FDA is expected by many authorities to approve a combination appetite suppressant that will have phentermine as one of the ingredients.  “In 46 years of world-wide use there has never been a case of phentermine addiction reported,” according to one review.  To compare phentermine, which has FDA approval for weight loss, to the street drug “Ecstasy” is absurd and irresponsible.

Dr Phil’s show suggested that phentermine would cause heart problems.  The guest doctor then proceeded to mention the “fenfluramine-phentermine” combination where some people developed pulmonary hypertension (a heart condition). What he did not say was that it was the fenfluramine that was found to cause this heart problem, not the phentermine!  Fortunately for those needing help with weight loss, good science and level headed thinkers prevailed:  only fenfluramine was pulled off the market.

Another issue raised on Dr. Phil’s show was that patients were not being adequately monitored  by the prescribing physician.  This is a legitimate concern that must be addressed.  Phentermine should only be prescribed by an experienced physician who will provide the necessary medical supervision to ensure patient safety while taking this drug.   

At Peak Nutrition and Weight Loss Clinic we are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality medical care while helping them achieve their weight loss goals.  We don’t prescribe “fads”, rather we provide medical solutions for the overweight.

Eating before going to bed does not by itself promote weight gain. However, not only can eating before bed promote acid reflux, but we tend to eat more calorie dense “comfort foods” in the late evening hours. As a general rule, the biggest percentage of your calories should be eaten earlier in the day when you are most active.

Vitamin B complex contains lipotropic nutrients, which are compounds that help burn fat and improve liver function – and helps with the effective removal of fat from the body while losing weight.  At Peak Nutrition & Weight Loss, we use two products with Vitamin B Complex: Lipo-Plex injections, and Lipo-BC tablets.

Both supplements increase energy, help to reduce blood cholesterol, and make the natural weight loss process more effective.

The drug marketed as PhenPhen, discontinued because of its association with pulmonary hypertension, was a combination of two drugs – fenfluramine and phentermine. The unsafe part of this duo was fenfluramine, NOT phentermine. Phentermine has been used as an appetite suppressant for over 50 years, and is approved by the FDA as a safe and effective tool for losing weight, when used appropriately and under the care of a physician. The use of this drug under a medical doctor is  important, and can affect whether or not you are successful in keeping your weight off.

At Peak Nutrition & Weight Loss Clinic, we use a natural supplement called Pro Thin to gradually wean patients off Phentermine when they have reached their goal weight. This process minimizes the chance of gaining the weight back.

No foods actually burn fat. Caffeine can speed up the metabolism temporarily but will not cause weight loss by itself.

Our staff of registered dieticians will tell you that there are such things as Super Foods, which are foods that pack a

powerful nutritional punch and help to fight disease and optimize health, but have very little calories or fat comparatively.

Some of them are broccoli, nuts, blueberries, pumpkin and spinach.

First, you should be looking at the whole picture, which includes three numbers: calories, fat calories and carbohydrates.

Calories will vary depending on your height and weight, but as a general rule 1000 to 1200 is a good target daily calorie intake if you

are a woman trying to lose weight. Less than 800 calories per day is never a good idea.

Second, total fat grams should equal no more than 30% of your total daily calories – so for a 1200 calorie a day program, fat grams should be 30g or less.

Third, carbs should be complex in nature, and provide no more than 40% or 120 grams of your total 1200 calories for the day.