[HN Gopher] The tragic history of the only diet pill that worked
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       The tragic history of the only diet pill that worked
        
       Author : pseudolus
       Score  : 24 points
       Date   : 2021-03-02 19:03 UTC (4 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (astralcodexten.substack.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (astralcodexten.substack.com)
        
       | perl4ever wrote:
       | I think it's likely an overstatement to say there's only one that
       | worked.
       | 
       | I don't have experience with dieting or diet pills per se, but
       | I've taken bupropion which is also a part of some weight loss
       | formulations and it substantially counteracted the weight gain
       | I've had from another medication.
       | 
       | The weight loss drug I'm thinking of combines bupropion and an
       | opioid receptor blocker. This is not medical advice and I have
       | not tested it, but I'm inclined to think my experience indicates
       | it should work.
       | 
       | Bupropion, incidentally, is a nicotinic receptor blocker, which
       | is why it's also prescribed as an aid to stop smoking. And an
       | antidepressant. And a dessert topping and floor wax...
       | 
       | I wonder if it does anything to mitochondria though?
        
       | Malp wrote:
       | I don't think I've laughed this much at an article in a long
       | time;
       | 
       | |> There's something quintessentially Russian about this, like a
       | cross between the Platonic essences of AK-47s and Krokodil.
       | 
       | |> In fact, I just checked out a couple of bodybuilding forums
       | and this is definitely true - one of them may have used the
       | phrase "YOLO".
       | 
       | |> And Vice (why is it always Vice?) is somehow even more
       | melodramatic
       | 
       | Does anyone have any other works of writing with a similar style
       | or subject matter? This truly made my day :)
        
         | renewiltord wrote:
         | This guy has written so much on Slate Star Codex that you could
         | spend the next month reading it.
        
       | philipkglass wrote:
       | This chemical has stuck in my memory since the 1990s, thanks to
       | Uncle Al on sci.chem:
       | 
       | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SF-6847
       | 
       | It is an uncoupling agent [1] with approximately 1800 times the
       | potency of 2,4 dinitrophenol (the compound discussed in the
       | substack post). This means that it is probably deadlier than most
       | nerve gases in humans, milligram for milligram.
       | 
       | The "Uncoupler" wikipedia page I linked is a decent starting
       | point for other chemicals in the class. Many would presumably
       | drive weight loss like 2,4 DNP itself; and most of those would
       | also incur similar side effects ranging from inconvenient to
       | lethal.
       | 
       | [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncoupler
        
         | owenversteeg wrote:
         | Interesting, that sent me down a bit of a Wikipedia rabbit
         | hole, which took me to this interesting quote: "there is no
         | antidote or remedy for DNP once taken. In consequence, DNP has
         | a high mortality rate -- of those who presented at hospital
         | between 2007 and 2019 with a history of having taken DNP, 18%
         | died. This puts DNP close to cyanide in terms of its toxicity."
         | 
         | So that means that only a fifth or so of people who went to the
         | hospital after taking cyanide died! Surprisingly low...
        
       | buescher wrote:
       | Also recently covered by "chubbyemu", of the great medical
       | clickbait youtube titles: "A Man Had An Accident With A Weight
       | Loss Chemical. This Is What Happened To His Organs."
       | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChPeG19qKUo
        
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       (page generated 2021-03-02 23:03 UTC)