Does Xenical Help You Lose Weight?

It can be frustrating to see no visible results after eating a healthier diet and spending countless hours in the gym. While these lifestyle changes are essential for weight loss, sometimes they’re not enough for some people. If you follow a diet and work out regularly yet still struggle to lose the extra weight, you may need an effective weight-loss pill like Xenical.

But, can it really speed up your journey to becoming a slimmer version of yourself? Find out below.

What is It

Xenical, also sold as Orlistat, is an FDA-approved medication for weight loss. It helps you lose weight by preventing your body from absorbing the fat from the food you eat. Like all weight-loss medications, Xenical doesn’t make you lose all the extra pounds overnight. It’s not a miracle drug, but it can be a beneficial addition to a doctor-supervised weight-loss program.

Who Should Take Xenical: It is best for people with weight-related illnesses and those with a 27 and above BMI.

How to Take Xenical For Best Results: The weight-loss pill comes in 120 mg capsules. If you want to include it in your weight-loss program, you should take one capsule during meals. Make sure that these meals contain fat. If the meal has little or no fat content, you can omit Xenical.

As a general guide, the amount of fat you consume per day should not exceed 30% of your total caloric intake. So, if you consume 1,200 calories per day, you should not eat more than 40 g of fat.

Does it Work

When used as part of a comprehensive weight-loss program, Xenical has been shown to help people lose weight.

A 2018 study revealed that those who practiced a low-calorie diet while taking Xenical lost an average of 1.25 stone a year, equivalent to 8.1 kg. This is 2.8 kg more than those who did not take it. In another study, obese patients lost 10.3 kg after a year of taking Xenical.

How Does It Work

Xenical works in a very straightforward manner. Lipases, which are digestive enzymes, play a vital role in breaking down fats into smaller components. These can then be absorbed through your digestive tract. When you take the weight-loss pill, it’s principal active ingredient attaches to some of the digestive enzymes in your digestive tract. Not only that, but xenical’s active ingredient also blocks the lipases from breaking down your meals’ dietary fats. As a result, up to one-third of your fat consumption doesn’t get digested, and your body gets rid of it through your stool.

How Long Does It Take to Work

Xenical starts working right after you take the first capsule. As long as you take it as directed and as part of your weight-loss program, you should begin to notice dramatic changes in your weight within 6 weeks.

For best results, make sure to quit smoking and reduce your alcohol intake before taking Xenical.

If you decide to stop taking this pill, doctors recommend continuing your healthy eating and exercise habits. Otherwise, you’ll gain weight after you stop taking Xenical.

What are the Side Effects

Common side effects of Xenical are flatulence with oily discharge, increased number of bowel movements, oily rectal discharges, and urgent need to have a bowel movement. These side effects are not dangerous to your health; however, they can be unpleasant. If you are to take Xenical, make sure you’re ready to deal with the potential side effects.

Although uncommon, some patients may experience severe side effects after taking Xenical. These include gallbladder, kidney, and liver problems.

The most common gallbladder problem is gallstones, which includes the following symptoms- vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain. Symptoms of kidney problems may include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, blood in the urine, painful urination, and swelling of the feet and legs. Additionally, the symptoms of liver problems can be itchy skin, loss of appetite, stomach pain, and amber-colored urine.

How Can One Get It

Xenical is  widely available in most pharmacies but you need a  doctor’s prescription to buy it. However, there is an over-the-counter counterpart of Xenical called Alli. Pharmacists are expected to check the following to assess whether or not you are suitable for the weight-loss pill:

  1. age (children or adolescents below 18 should not take Xenical or Alli for safety reasons )
  2. weight, height, and body mass index
  3. status of health (existence of conditions like osteoporosis, high blood pressure, and diabetes)
  4. factors that contribute to excess weight (medical treatments and genetic influences)

If Alli is dispensed, pharmacists should explain dosage, potential side effects, and required lifestyle modifications, including diet and exercise.

However, it’s way sensible to consult your doctor before taking Xenical or Alli as they may interact with other drugs you’re taking. Your doctor is the best person to decide whether or not Xenical is best for your situation.

Which Drugs Interact with It

Xenical can interact with multivitamin by interfering with the proper absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like A E, and D. So, if you need to take a multivitamin, do it at least two hours before or after you take Xenical. This way, you can avoid interaction.

You should be aware that some medicines and Xenical may interfere with each other, including Warfarin, Sandimmune, and Levothyroxine.

Warfarin’s blood-thinning effect depends on the amount of vitamin in your body. Needless to say, this is a key vitamin that binds to fat. If you were receiving warfarin while taking Xenical, monitor your blood clotting closely. This is in anticipation of declining vitamin K levels as Xenical may cause levels of the said vitamin to decline.

Xenical may reduce Sandimmune’s absorption and blood levels when both medications are taken together. Administer both medicines at least 4 hours apart and monitor your cyclosporine levels more frequently.

When you combine Xenical and Levothyroxine, it can result in hypothyroidism. This is why patients treated with both medications are monitored closely for changes in thyroid function. To be safe, administer Levothyroxine two hours before or after Xenical.

The drugs mentioned above may affect how well Xenical works or may be affected by the weight-loss pill. Besides taking both a few hours apart, you may need to consult with your doctor for maximum safety.