Phentermine for Men

Does it sometimes feel like everything about phentermine is targeted towards women? We’ve noticed it, too! But don’t be fooled – there are many men on phentermine as well. In a nod to our male readers, we’ve dedicated this week’s post to men.

We are addressing some of the issues specifically related to men and weight loss, especially men considering or currently taking phentermine.

Benefits of Weight Loss for Men

Much of the media surrounding weight loss is focused on women, but men benefit just as much from slimming down. In addition to decreasing the risk of chronic disease, weight loss has also been shown to improve quality of life and longevity among overweight men.

Perhaps most notably, it decreases your risk for chronic diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure (hypertension), type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. As a result, many men find they need fewer medications as the weight comes off. Committing to a healthy lifestyle also increases sex drive (and performance), decreases joint pain, strengthens immunity, and improves memory. Plus, more exercise means more endorphins, which means lower levels of stress and a better mood! Most would agree that the benefits of weight loss far outweigh the difficulties of adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Phentermine Differences for Men and Women

While the overall effect of phentermine is the same regardless of sex, there are some key differences between men and women.

Effectiveness

In general, men lose weight faster than women. So, it’s no surprise that men often lose weight faster on phentermine. Men shed pounds faster for a few reasons:

Men have more lean muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so men typically burn more calories at rest. Higher levels of testosterone are responsible for this natural advantage.

Men have evolved to lose weight faster. Studies show that men’s bodies respond more quickly to dietary and lifestyle changes to eliminate excess weight. This may relate to the fact that men never needed to maintain body fat for child-bearing in our earlier days.

Men look slimmer faster. Even if a man and a woman lose the same amount of weight, the man usually looks trimmer. This is because men tend to accumulate fat around their midsection, while women hold more fat in their hips and thighs. It’s more noticeable when a man’s tummy shrinks than a woman’s hips.

Male Side Effects

Phentermine users – both men and women – usually experience at least one side effect while taking the medication. These reactions range from relatively mild to very severe. While dry mouth (xerostomia) is the most commonly reported side effect, men may worry more about other problems.

For example, one of the most potentially troublesome side effects for men is phentermine’s effect on their sex lives. The FDA’s list of common side effects for phentermine includes two relevant reactions: change in sexual desire and sexual impotence (erectile dysfunction). Male support group members corroborate this risk with reports of erectile dysfunction, penis and/or scrotum shrinkage, increased ejaculation, and not feeling satisfied. Thankfully, these side effects seem to resolve themselves in about a week or as soon as the body adjusts to the new medication. If the problem persists, consider asking your doctor for help – there are lots of medications that can help. Either way, remember that weight loss is shown to improve body image and increase sexual desire in the long run, so it will get better!

Some men also describe increased frequency and decreased volume in urination while taking phentermine. This problem appears to diminish with continued use of the medication and should resolve itself after finishing the prescription. Still, always contact your prescribing doctor if you are concerned about continuing, severe, or worsening side effects of phentermine.

Lifestyle modifications – like proper hydration, a healthy diet, and regular exercise – can help lessen these side effects. These supplements are an all-natural alternative to prescription phentermine that helps suppress appetite and boost energy without unwanted side effects.

Diet and Exercise

Diet and exercise requirements are generally similar for men and women, except that guys get to eat a little bit more – even when they’re losing weight.

Nutrition

Men should aim to eat at least 1500 calories per day, even when dieting. This minimum calorie requirement helps ensure that you are breaking down fat, maintaining lean muscle mass, and achieving sustainable weight loss. Protein requirements are the same for men and women at an average of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram (or 0.36 grams per pound) of body weight.

There is no perfect or golden diet for men on phentermine. As we talked about in our low-carb versus low-fat diets post, the most important factor in choosing the right diet for you is your lifestyle, your body, and your preferences. Some people love low carb, while others think it sounds like a nightmare. Effectiveness also varies from person to person. Choose whichever diet works for you and your body – just remember to make sure you’re meeting your needs. While eating less and losing weight faster may sound appealing in the short term, you’re not doing yourself any favors in the long run. That rapid weight loss often means your body is eating away at the muscle in addition to fat – nobody wants to lose their hard-earned muscles while slimming down!

Fitness

Speaking of… You’re taking phentermine because you want to lose weight, but you probably want to build muscle, too. As we discussed above, men have a natural advantage over women due to their higher levels of testosterone that support lean muscle mass. Still, fitness should remain a cornerstone of your phentermine journey.

Try to set a goal for yourself to work out more, and then make it a healthy habit that you can sustain over the long term. Start slow if you haven’t been exercising a lot lately, but make it a point to keep challenging yourself a little bit more each week. For American adults, the recommendation is 150 minutes per week of moderate activity (e.g., walking, biking, etc.) or 75 minutes per week of vigorous activity (e.g., running, swimming, etc.), plus two days of strength training. You’ll see more benefits (and lose more weight) if you can squeeze in 300 minutes of activity per week. This translates to about 30-60 minutes of exercise per day and includes moderate, vigorous and strength training work outs. If you’re short on ideas, check out these articles about gym machines, home workouts, and family exercise for a little inspiration!

Men’s Phentermine Success

It’s all good to talk about this in theory, but sometimes what you really need is to see that men really do take – and succeed with – phentermine. Here are the stories of two men who lost weight and changed their lives with phentermine!

Brent

Before: 367 lbs        Current: 277 lbs          Goal: 220 lbs          Weight Lost: 90 lbs

“I thought to myself, oh man, I’m on my way to 400 lbs and I just can’t do that… I immediately asked the doctor what I could do… and he prescribed Phentermine to me.”

Brent had been overweight his whole life, and after returning from living abroad, he picked up a problem with binge eating. As he aged, his doctor started to nag him about his weight, and he developed sleep apnea. Even though his annual labs looked good, he knew something had to change when he weighed in at almost 370 pounds. That’s when his doctor prescribed phentermine. Brent now keeps a food diary, meets with a trainer once a week, and has lost over 90 pounds with the help of phentermine! He says the hardest part is staying motivated, but the newfound energy and lack of an achy back in the morning keep him driven. His wise words of advice are, “Just keep at it. Don’t get discouraged. If you fall off the wagon, so to speak. Don’t beat yourself up, just start doing what you know is right. It’s normal to have good days and bad days.”

Michel

Before: 303 lbs        Current: 165 lbs          Goal: 160 lbs          Weight Lost: 138 lbs

“I then heard of phentermine, and gave it a try. I decided if I was going to finally make a change I would do it right this time – so I ate healthy, began a 30 minute a day, 5 days a week gym routine and the weight started to fly off.”

Michel was overweight his entire life. He knew he needed to change when he realized he was missing out on social events, trips, and pursuing his music and theater dreams because of his weight. After trying multiple celebrity-endorsed, over-the-counter diet pills with no success, Michel heard about phentermine. He says the hardest part about getting healthy was learning self-control at parties and restaurants. It’s hard to go out with friends and not snack constantly. Still, he loves people’s reactions when they see him after a long time and don’t even recognize him because he’s so much skinnier. He was extra excited when a salesperson told him he was so thin that he needed a slim-cut suit!

 

Are you a man who’s taken phentermine? Or do you know something helpful to share with men on phentermine? We’d love to hear about your experiences, questions and tips in the comments section below!