Xenical, a New Weight Management Drug

Q:  I need to lose a lot of weight. Could the new fat-blocking drug Xenical help me?

A:  Perhaps, if your weight is a serious health problem and you've failed to shed the pounds through diet and exercise alone.

Xenical, the brand name for orlistat, is a weight-management drug that was moderately successful in clinical trials, reducing fat absorption by 30%. It works by inhibiting lipase enzymes in the intestine which are necessary to break down triglycerides into fatty acids that can then be absorbed from the gut.

"This is not a cure-all drug", warns Robert H. Eckel, MD, Chairman of the Nutrition Committee for the American Heart Association. "It's meant for people who face serious health risks as a result of obesity, not someone who wants to drop a few pounds." The drug's long-term efficacy isn't clear, and the digestive-system side effects -- diarrhea, flatulence, inability to control bowel movements - are not pleasant. It may also be recommended for users to take a multivitamin supplement to prevent fat soluable vitamin deficiencies.

Who should NOT use Xenical:

Those who:

• consistently have problems absorbing food
• have gallbladder problems
• are pregnant or are breastfeeding a child
• have ever had an allergic reaction to orlistat
• are less than 20% above their ideal body weight

Please see your doctor for more information. If you are an appropriate candidate for treatment with this medication, consult your local Registered Dietitian before beginning the treatment.

Each year, Medical College of Wisconsin physicians care for more than 180,000 patients, representing nearly 500,000 patient visits. Medical College physicians practice at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, the Milwaukee VA Medical Center, and many other hospitals and clinics in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin.