Posted by kathryn in Miscellanea

I’ve been asked recently about the drug Xenical (also known as orlistat) and whether I’d recommend it for weight loss. I’ve been concerned, because the questions have been from people who, while they may need to lose a few kilograms, are in no way obese.

Xenical is a pharmaceutical drug manufactured by Roche. It was originally supplied in Australia as an S4 medication, ie it had to be prescribed by a doctor. However, in 2003 it was re-scheduled as an S3, meaning it could be sold by pharmacists. In the middle of last year, Roche were given permission to advertise Xenical to the public.

Does it work?

Xenical works by blocking the absorption of fat from the foods you eat. If you take it with food, Xenical will block about a third of the fat in that meal. This means you absorb fewer kilojoules than you’re actually eating and are more likely to lose weight.  Xenical does work, as long as it’s taken correctly and participants in clinical trials have lost significant amounts of weight.

Who should take it?

Xenical is only appropriate for two groups of people:

• adults who are obese, ie they have a BMI of 30 or more, or
• adults who are overweight, have a BMI of 27 or more, combined with obesity related health risks, such as high blood pressure or bad cholesterol levels

Xenical also only really works when combined with a reduced kilojoule diet and increase physical activity. It’s an adjunct, to speed the process along for people whose health is significantly at risk.

Who shouldn’t take it?

While Xenical does work, it is only appropriate for people who are obese. Those who are overweight, without the above conditions, should not be taking it. Xenical is a pharmaceutical medication, it’s a more extreme way of losing weight and there are risks involved with taking it. It should not, therefore be taken lightly, but only by people who really need it.

For it to work, Xenical has to be taken at meal-times, when you’re eating fat. You have to limit your fat intake at each meal and throughout the day. Side effects can include diarrhoea, oily bowel movements, abdominal pain and flatulence.

Along with these, Xenical will also block your absorption of essential fatty acids and the fat soluble vitamins and antioxidants – like vitamin A, vitamin E and the carotenoids. These are all important to maintaining good health.

Weight loss

Weight loss is one of those areas of health where everyone wants an easy-fix and the idea of taking a pill is very attractive. However, for most people, it’s a disappointingly boring fact that the “key” to weight loss is to reduce the amount of energy you’re eating (ie kilojoules) and increase the amount of energy you’re expending (ie by increasing physical activity).

For more on Xenical, check out the Choice mystery shopper report and also their FAQs.

24 February, 2007