Not everyone wants, or qualifies for, a weekly injection. If GLP-1 medications aren’t the right fit for your body, history, or preference, Contrave offers a different mechanism, in pill form, for weight management.
Not everyone wants, or qualifies for, a weekly injection. If GLP-1 medications aren’t the right fit for your body, history, or preference, Contrave offers a different mechanism, in pill form, for weight management.
BEST FOR
Adults with obesity, or overweight with a weight-related condition
METHOD
Oral tablet, with the dose gradually increased up to twice daily
FREQUENCY
Twice daily at maintenance, titrated over four weeks
All information regarding products and services on this site are for educational purposes only. Dynamis Online is not a pharmacy and does not manufacture, distribute, or ship any medications discussed on this site. Our licensed medical professionals work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan that fits your unique health goals. All products and medications are manufactured and distributed by independent, third-party vendor pharmacies and are routinely inspected by both state and federal agencies for safety and efficacy.
Contrave comes as an oral tablet, which matters if needles are a barrier or if GLP-1 side effects like nausea have been hard to tolerate.
Naltrexone blocks opioid receptors, while bupropion affects dopamine and norepinephrine. Together, these effects can help reduce food cravings that may be difficult to address through diet alone.
In the COR-I trial, patients lost significantly more weight on naltrexone/bupropion than on placebo over 56 weeks, with similar results replicated in patients with type 2 diabetes.
For patients who’ve plateaued on diet and exercise, or who want a mechanism distinct from injectable therapies, Contrave gives your provider another option to work with.
Contrave combines two existing medications: naltrexone, which blocks opioid receptors, and bupropion, an antidepressant affecting dopamine and norepinephrine. Together they act on the brain’s hypothalamus and reward circuitry, the systems driving hunger and cravings.
The FDA approved this combination in 2014 for chronic weight management, using a fixed extended-release dose titrated over four weeks. Your Dynamis provider confirms your exact formulation and titration schedule before you start.
Your provider reviews your history for seizure disorders, eating disorders, uncontrolled blood pressure, opioid use, and other conditions that rule Contrave out before anything is prescribed.
Dosing starts low and increases weekly, following the same escalation used in clinical trials, so your body adjusts gradually rather than all at once.
As you reach your maintenance dose, most patients notice fewer food cravings and less preoccupation with eating, the effect the drug’s dual mechanism targets directly.
Your provider tracks blood pressure, heart rate, and mood at each follow-up, since bupropion carries a boxed warning for suicidal thoughts that requires active monitoring.
Naltrexone and bupropion each affect appetite modestly on their own, but together they act on the brain’s reward and hunger circuits more effectively than either alone. Clinical trials found the combination produced significantly more weight loss than either ingredient by itself.
The most common side effects are nausea, constipation, headache, and dizziness, especially during the first few weeks of titration. Contrave can also raise blood pressure and resting heart rate, which is why your provider checks both at every follow-up visit.
Contrave carries the FDA’s boxed warning for increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior, the same warning bupropion carries as an antidepressant, and it’s most pronounced in people under 25. Your provider screens for depression and mental health history before starting, and monitors for mood changes throughout treatment.
No, they’re different drugs with different evidence. Low-dose naltrexone uses naltrexone alone at 1.5 to 6mg, while Contrave pairs a higher naltrexone dose with bupropion and is FDA-approved specifically for chronic weight management. Research on one does not apply to the other.
Contrave and Ozempic work through completely different systems, so they aren’t direct substitutes for each other. Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications slow digestion and calm appetite hormones, while Contrave targets the brain’s reward circuits and comes as a pill instead of a weekly injection.
