Naltrexone/bupropion (combination)
A prescription combination medication (naltrexone/bupropion) that reduces hunger and food cravings for weight management.
Plain English
Patient-Friendly Explanation
Naltrexone/bupropion is a combined prescription medication for weight loss that works on the brain's reward and hunger centres to reduce cravings and control appetite. It is taken as tablets and is used together with diet and exercise.
Medical
Clinical Definition
The naltrexone/bupropion fixed-dose combination is an approved pharmacotherapy for obesity. Bupropion, a dopamine and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor, stimulates hypothalamic POMC neurons that promote anorexigenic signalling; naltrexone, an opioid-receptor antagonist, blocks the auto-inhibitory feedback on those same neurons, amplifying the signal and dampening food reward. In the COR trials, placebo-subtracted weight loss was approximately 4–5% at 56 weeks, with improvements in waist circumference and cardiometabolic markers. Contraindications include uncontrolled hypertension, seizure disorders and concurrent opioid use, including opioid-containing analgesics; blood pressure and mood require monitoring, and bupropion lowers the seizure threshold.
Key Insight
Why It Matters
This tablet combination suits patients who prefer oral therapy and whose main struggle is cravings and reward-driven eating. We check blood pressure and mood before starting, because safe prescribing is the non-negotiable part.
Sources
Reviewed against standard medical references.
Medically reviewed by
Family Physician & Registered Acupuncturist, Accord Medical Clinic. MBBS (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Acupuncture (Singapore College of TCM).
Last reviewed: August 2026
This page is general health education, not medical advice. Whether any treatment is appropriate for you is a decision made in consultation after assessment.
