A commonly used diabetes drug that contains the "spit" of a poisonous lizard called the Gila monster may also help with weight loss, wgal.com reported.
The drug is created synthetically and marketed under the name Byetta and is used by diabetics to help control their blood sugar, but one doctor says the drug may also help users shed pounds.
Dr. Antonia Verso from Banner Health in Phoenix said Byetta helped her patient Ralph Bustamante lose nearly 40 pounds, while other diabetes drugs made him gain weight.
Byetta is not without its side effects, however. In August, federal regulators said they were working on a stronger warning label for the drug after it was linked to six cases of pancreatitis, two of which were fatal.
Verso is currently participating in a study to assess the drug's weight loss effects.
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