The Truth Behind Weight Loss Supplements

Anti-obesity drugs are often offered to individuals who have already introduced diet and exercise regimes into their life, but haven’t gotten the weight loss results they’ve expected. The majority of individuals also have serious obesity comorbidities like diabetes or high blood pressure and a BMI greater than 27.

The positive aspects of taking these drugs include possible decreased blood pressure, lipid levels, and blood glucose levels. There’s also an increase in insulin sensitivity associated with the average weight loss of about 5 to 10% of total body weight.

The important thing to note is that most FDA approved drugs are only approved for short term use which could lead to an addiction or tolerance to these drugs. There’s also little chance of seeing a very large weight loss, and the weight loss for obese individuals is insignificant.

The majority of these drugs also interact with the way fat is absorbed in the body causing serious G.I. distress that includes cramps, gas, and diarrhea. Some actually increase the risk of heart problems such as arteriosclerosis and heart palpitation.

Alli, Orlistat, and Xenical are all similar anti-obesity drugs. Alli and Xenical are available over the counter and Orlistat is the conventionally prescribed version of the drug. Alli and Orlistat work by blocking the digestion and absorption of fat in the stomach and intestine. Xenical is a gastric and pancreatic lipase inhibitor that also reduces the absorption of dietary fat by up to 30%.

While these drugs do support the weight loss process they often become a crutch or a reason to stop eating healthy or working out consistently and many individuals believe these drugs are the magic cure for weight loss, which is not the case; these drugs are only meant to assist in losing a small amount of weight.

References:

Laddu D, Dow C, Hingle M, Thomson C, Scott G. A review of evidence-based strategies to treat obesity in adults. Nutr Clin Pract. 2011;26(5):512-525. DOI:10.1177/0884533611418335.