The drug "Xenical" for weight loss: how to apply, side effects, analogues
On the modern pharmaceutical market there are not too many means for reducing body weight with a proven clinical effect. This small group includes drugs on the basis of orlistat, for example, Xenical. Instructions for use of "Xenical" states that it is effective for alimentary obesity and type 2 diabetes. In addition, it is registered as a drug, not a biologically active food supplement (BAA). What does it mean?
Registering a pharmaceutical as a drug allows you to be sure that it has passed clinical trials. In turn, this means that the drug has been tested by the experience of several thousand people, contraindications to its use and possible risks associated with use have been fully investigated.
Multi-level checks "Xenical" confirmed that this tool can be used for losing weight as one of the most effective. In favor of its use is the characteristic of complete security - "Xenical" does not have a systemic effect.
Indications
The main indication for the use of the drug "Xenical" is obesity. Doctors clarify this point a little - obesity is the weight at which the body mass index exceeds 30. It is acceptable to use Xenical for body correction with overweight. When it is the body mass index exceeds 25.
Doctors can not prohibit the use of the drug to anyone, but argue that taking Xenical for getting rid of a few kilograms of fat is inappropriate. Still, the tool belongs to the drugs and was created for the treatment of patients of a special group. Privately, “Xenical” may be prescribed as part of the complex treatment of the following diseases.
- Type 2 diabetes. In diabetes, disorders of the body's glucose tolerance are noted. In some cases, the normalization of weight contributes to the stabilization of tolerance, which reduces the need for taking lipid-lowering drugs.
- Hypertensive heart disease. Hypertension always “walks beside” with obesity, speaking of its negative consequences.
- Atherosclerosis. The use of "Xenical" in atherosclerosis helps to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, which has a positive effect on the dynamics of treatment and prevents major changes in the vascular walls.
- With hormonal disorders. "Xenical" doctors prescribe complete women, when planning pregnancy, when infertility is triggered by hormonal disruptions or there is a risk of inability to bear the child due to obesity. For example, after multiple miscarriages of a full lady.
All mentioned indications are listed for familiarization, and the use of the drug in a similar situation necessarily requires coordination with the attending physician.
How does the drug
The active ingredient of the drug "Xenical" - orlistat, is a white crystalline powder enclosed in a gelatin capsule of blue color. The dosage of one capsule is 120 mg. The chemical belongs to the group of lipid-lowering agents. "Xenical" has a number of pharmacological effects on the body that contribute to weight loss, namely:
- prevents the accumulation of new sediments;
- reduces cholesterol levels in the blood;
- provides normalization of cell sensitivity to glucose;
- reduces insulin secretion.
All these pharmacological effects are based on a single principle of action of "Xenical". The drug begins to work actively in the lumen of the small intestine, inactivating the enzyme lipase of the gastric and pancreatic juices. Due to this, the splitting of large fat molecules to monoglycerides and fatty acids does not occur, which means that the fat from the food is not absorbed by the intestinal walls, passing through it “in transit”. From this come the other actions of the drug.
- Effect on cholesterol. Without fat, low-density lipoproteins (bad cholesterol) cannot be absorbed from food, which leads to a decrease in their blood levels.
- Effect on insulin. A decrease in lipid concentration leads to the normalization of cell tolerance to sugar. This leads to their full absorption of glucose, which means that the body needs less insulin to process sugars.
- Effect on fat. Chronic lack of calories when taking "Xenical" causes the body to use body fat.
- Impact on weight conservation. When taking the drug, the patient gets used to consume a smaller amount of fatty food, which ensures the stability of weight after the end of the course of treatment.
You can fully describe the effect of the drug as follows: taking Xenical requires reducing the amount of fat in the diet. Otherwise, you will have to face side effects in the form of leaking fat from the anus (steatorrhea) and an increase in stool. This forms the patient's healthy eating habits.
From the food that a person uses as part of the diet, 30% of fat is not absorbed at all, leaving the intestine unchanged. This creates a constant shortage of calories, the number of which has already reduced the diet. The use of "Xenical" while losing weight gives the result - a person loses about 10% of body weight, without suffering from radical bans on food, comprehensively improving the body, gradually switching to a more healthy diet.
About security
The drug "Xenical" is considered the safest of the existing means on the market for weight loss. The reason for this is the local action of the drug, exclusively in the intestinal lumen. The lack of systemic effects significantly reduces the list of side effects and contraindications for use, which cannot be said about herbal preparations. Contraindications include:
- obvious violations of the function of intestinal absorption;
- diseases of the gallbladder and bile ducts;
- breastfeeding period;
- pregnancy;
- age up to 18 years.
The harm that accompanies the preparation's primer is a violation of the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins - A, E, D, K. Therefore, for the prevention of hypovitaminosis, doctors recommend using special preparations for the duration of treatment with the drug as additional sources of the listed nutrients.
An additional advantage of the drug "Xenical" is the lack of risk of overdose and the negative impact of the use of high doses of the drug. Clinical trials with the use of high doses confirmed the invariance of the effect of losing weight compared with taking standard therapeutic dosages. This indicates that there is no point in taking more capsules in order to enhance or accelerate weight loss.
The tool is contraindicated in pregnancy and feeding because of the risk of vitamin deficiencies, which can adversely affect the condition of the mother and child. Complete elimination of "Xenical" from the body occurs over a period of three days, which indicates the possibility of using the drug when planning conception.
Instructions for use "Xenical" for weight loss
To achieve a noticeable effect of losing weight, it is important to take Xenical for losing weight correctly. Exhaustive information is provided by the doctor, however, some patients misunderstand it. The typical treatment errors are as follows.
- Violation of reception time. "Xenical" must be taken during a meal. If for some reason this was not possible, it is necessary to swallow the capsule within an hour after eating. This approach will ensure a uniform distribution of the active substance in the food lump, as well as effective lipase blocking. If you take the remedy before a meal, the composition of the capsule will simply fall into the colon prematurely and will be removed from the body without any effect.
- Frequency of use. Capsules are taken from one to three times per day. The Xenical reception regimen is flexible and depends on what and when the patient eats. Doctors recommend taking the tool with each meal, if the dish can be attributed to fat. For example, after breakfast of cereal without butter and coffee, drinking "Xenical" is not necessary. If the morning meal consists of a sandwich with butter and cheese - you need to take one capsule.
- Violation of the diet. The effectiveness of Xenical treatment depends on a balanced diet. If the patient does not reduce the concentration of fat in it, do not expect amazing effects. The drug neutralizes only 30% of fat, the rest will be absorbed for physiological reasons.
- Premature termination of the course. Most obese patients expect a lightning-fast result. Without noticing him after a couple of weeks, they stop taking the drug. Nevertheless, the minimum course of treatment is two months, and the maximum - six months. The effectiveness of losing weight directly depends on the observance of the course duration. Doctors recommend continuously drink "Xenical" for three months.
A frequently asked question among patients is the compatibility of Xenical with alcohol. Orlistat does not react with alcohols, and therefore does not interact with alcohol. Moderate use of it does not affect the result of losing weight with the drug.
The drug is sold in a pharmacy without a prescription. Anyone can buy it, however, nutritionists strongly recommend the use of drugs for losing weight only as prescribed by a doctor, with strict observance of his instructions.
Are the side effects terrible?
All the side effects of Xenical are due to a change in the intestinal contents, namely, the inclusion of pure fat in the fecal mass. This can provoke:
- abdominal pain;
- uncontrolled bowel secretions;
- flatulence;
- increased stool rate;
- fluid excrement;
- oily feces.
Doctors focus patients on the fact that "Xenical" for weight loss will not cause such trouble, ate to strictly follow the instructions on nutrition. Eating excessively fatty foods will provoke not only steatorrhea, but also involuntary defecation, since fatty secretions will simply flow down the intestinal walls.
Violation of the absorption of vitamins - a serious side effect that can be corrected. Eat vitamin supplements can be a couple of hours after the means for losing weight. Taking vitamins is obligatory for women during menopause, since for them the sufficient presence of every nutrient in the body is especially important.
Analogs
The drug "Xenical" has analogues:
- "Orlip";
- "Xenistat";
- "Xenalten";
- "Orlimax".
Their admission requires compliance with the same conditions and recommendations, accompanied by similar side effects. “Xenical” is an original Swiss-made preparation with the most extensive evidence base, which has passed the necessary tests.
Overweight: how is it dangerous
Losing weight, a woman acquires not only a light walk, a slender figure and the admiration of others, but also a huge bonus for health. Freed from the oppression of extra pounds, “thanks” to the body will say literally all organs and systems! Dropping the excess, the woman will protect herself from ...
... hypertension and other diseases of the heart and blood vessels
The latent form of this disease suffers 1/3 of the population over 40 years! Studies have shown that every 4.5 kg of weight gained leads to an increase in pressure of 4.5 mm Hg. Art. The greater the body weight, the higher the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases. The main reason is an increased level of "bad" cholesterol in the blood. In obese people, it is high, not even because a person eats a lot of fatty foods, but because metabolism is disturbed due to obesity. As a result, “bad” cholesterol is deposited on the walls of blood vessels and atherosclerosis develops.
... type 2 diabetes
This type of diabetes used to be called "elderly diabetes." Today, it is increasingly referred to as obese diabetes. The disease is younger! And the main risk factors are heredity and overweight. Statistics is relentless: among patients with type 2 diabetes, 80–90% are obese! But even if you have already been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you can almost completely compensate for the disease with a healthy lifestyle.
... snoring
To assume that a person suffers from snoring, a somnologist is enough to know what size of a collar he has. In the risk group, men are from the 43rd, women are from the 40th. The fact is that due to fat deposits on the neck, the airways narrow, which leads to snoring.
... Syndrome of obstructive sleep apnea
The snoring itself does not represent a threat to health, which cannot be said about the sudden cessation of breathing in a dream, which often accompany it. Doctors call it obstructive sleep apnea. During the night, the number of such episodes can reach up to 500, that is, for about 4 hours a day no oxygen enters the human blood! The most common cause of the disease is overweight. Reducing it by 10–15% will reduce the complications of the disease by 2 times!
... unwanted hair growth
Many women, gaining excess weight, face hair growth where women should not have them: chest, shoulders, stomach, bikini line. But on the head hair, on the contrary, thin! Few people know that "increased fur" is a sign of polycystic ovary syndrome. Approximately half of women suffering from this disease are overweight, and the excess is deposited on the male type - on the stomach and back. If a woman loses weight, her hormonal background will be restored, and these misfortunes will gradually recede!
... menstrual irregularities
Adipose tissue produces about a third of the female sex hormones - estrogen. The more fat, the more of them. To suppress the excess, the woman's body begins to intensively produce male sex hormones, steroids. As a result, obese women are 6 times more likely to suffer from irregular menstrual cycles! Sometimes it is enough to reduce body weight by only 10–15% so that the cycle returns to normal without additional treatment!
... infertility
In women whose weight is 20% or more above the norm, an excess of estrogen causes a violation of ovulation. And if you reduce the weight by only 5–8%, the probability of conception increases by 2 times.
... pain in the feet
In obese people often hurt legs. A common cause of fatigue and pain is flatfoot caused by overweight. Under the pressure of kilograms, the arch of the foot falls, and the limb is flattened. Flatfoot is observed in about 50% of those who weigh 25% more than the norm! Losing weight will not completely relieve you of this problem, but it will bring your feet considerable relief.
... gout
Its cause is an increase in the concentration of uric acid in the blood. It is taken primarily from fatty meat foods, accompanied by alcohol. Metabolic disorders, including due to obesity, leads to the fact that the kidneys do not have time to remove uric acid from the body. Then it forms salts (sodium urates), the crystals of which are deposited in the joints and cause inflammation - arthritis. To relieve a painful attack of pain, doctors put patients on a special diet - without it, medications are ineffective!
... pain in the knee joints
Even one kilogram of excess weight increases the risk of arthrosis by 10-15%. With a body mass index (BMI) = 27.5 for men and 25 for women, the probability of a meniscus tear increases threefold. Any treatment for knee pain will be ineffective until you lose weight.
... back pain
Proved: every 5 kg of excess weight by 19% increases the likelihood of severe back pain. And for the spine, obesity is equally bad both for the female type (when the figure resembles a pear) and for the male (when excess fat is deposited on the abdomen).
... gallbladder removal
According to statistics, 60% of patients in surgical departments are people with complications of cholelithiasis. Two thirds of them are overweight, and there are 5 times more women among them than men! The main cause of this disease is poor diet: rich in protein, fatty refined food, alcohol. As well as starvation diets and rare meals. If the diagnosis is already made, the gallbladder will have to be removed. But if you are still at risk, low-fat fractional nutrition will not only reduce weight, but also save the gall bladder.
... fatty liver hepatosis
The liver produces bile, which accumulates in the gallbladder. This is how obesity affects this process. Suppose a person eats more fat over the years than his body can spend on movement and other needs. Over time, the liver cells begin to "fatten". In this state, this body is no longer able to function normally. It grows in size and starts to hurt, and the diagnosis of "fatty hepatosis" appears in the medical record. But the liver is a thankful organ. There are cases when, when losing weight by 15–20 kg, fatty infiltration decreased, and the liver returned to its normal size.
10 tips on losing weight that really work
Recently, Google is increasingly looking for information about diets. We promise ourselves to start losing weight from Monday, then from the beginning of the next month ... But, having failed to achieve results, we often get disappointed. How to lose weight? Write down what tips for losing weight, according to scientific data, really work.
1. Tips for losing weight without the habit - a waste of time
Once you have decided to change your eating habits and start exercising every day, make a plan: what exactly will you change? Consider all the changes you expect from yourself, but start with one small, but doable step: for example, start walking every day for 20 minutes on foot. As soon as it becomes a habit, follow the next paragraph of the plan.
Of course, with this approach, the process takes longer, but this method is effective: a study by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine confirms that people who made one small change in a week lost twice as much kilogram as those who adhered to the general principle of “eat less, move more. ”
2. Eat easier
Scientists conducted a study among two groups of women: one handed a list of foods that can be eaten, and simple rules, and the other gave a more complex nutrition plan. Women in the second group could eat a lot more foods, but had to keep track of everything they eat and engage in physical activity. So, women from the second group were more at risk of throwing everything halfway through. Therefore, try to approach your diet easier.
3. Get things done in stages
Agree: the goal to lose weight by 10 kg seems impossible. Therefore, break this goal into two. At first, focus on losing weight by 5 kg. This approach helps to maintain motivation. Lose weight by 5 kg - celebrate your success and set a new goal.
4. Eat vegetables first
Scientists from the University of Minnesota conducted a series of studies in which participants ate vegetables before any other meal. The result struck everyone. The experiment participants ate 5 times more vegetables than they normally would have eaten, and, chewing carrots before sweets, they ate less chocolates. This principle always works, because we tend to eat any food that stands before us - even vegetables. Therefore, always start eating with a salad.
5. Food to soothe - your enemy
Recently, such a study was conducted: participants in the experiment were shown a sad film, and then offered to eat their favorite food, which usually calms them down. One group was offered brownies, cookies, or ice cream; the second - the bars, and the third - nothing. After that, we evaluated the mood of each in all three groups. There was no difference in mood! Therefore, when you are upset, it is better to call a friend or go for a walk - both options are good for lifting the mood, and absolutely not calorie.
6. Make friends with weights
According to studies, people who have lost weight and maintain their weight are weighed regularly. If not weighed, then you can quietly return all those extra pounds. According to the results of one of the studies, a third of the women did not notice how they gained 2 kg within six months, and another quarter had no idea where the extra 4 kg came from. Remember that the figure on the scales - not an assessment of your personality. Treat it as objective information. You do not get upset when you see what the temperature in the room or on the street. The numbers on the scales are simply useful information, with the help of which you can assess whether you have lost your way to losing weight. Start weighing every day.
7. Determine the time when the kitchen closes
New research suggests that it is important not only what you eat, but when you eat. Participants in one study, who usually ate in the 15-hour period, reduced it to 10-11 hours - and lost an average of 3 kg in 4 months without changing their eating habits. The shorter the food intake interval during the day, the more effective the calories are burned. Try to have breakfast a little later than usual and dine a little earlier.
8. Carefully select products in the store
Purchased in the store products are not so harmless. According to a study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, more than half of the calories we get from purchased processed foods such as white bread, biscuits, and carbonated drinks. The processed foods on the shelves of supermarkets contain saturated fats, sugar and salt in quantities exceeding the norm. So try to buy only fresh and unprocessed foods.
9. Talk good about yourself
Tips for losing weight would not be complete without motivation. Almost always the desire to lose weight, we backed up with the words "I'm so fat!" For some reason, we think that the harder we treat ourselves, the faster we reach our goal. But research shows that it is easier to cultivate healthy habits if we love ourselves. Tell yourself the words of support and encouragement, as they would say to a friend. Even if you have failed in one of the days, return to your habits the next day.
10. Accept the fact that losing weight is not an easy process
Yes, most often people who have managed to lose weight and keep weight after losing weight, follow the strict rules of nutrition until the end of their lives. But do not hurry to get upset. Pick yourself a nutrition strategy that you can always stick to. It's like moving to another city. The first time is very difficult, but when you get used to it, you no longer tolerate inconvenience. Maybe you sometimes miss something, but, on the whole, your new life suits you.
Write down these tips for losing weight and try to follow them every day. Lose weight with a good mood!