The First Over-The Counter Diet Pill For Obesity Has Arrived

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The Food and Drug Administration has at long last got around to approving a diet pill which can be purchased over-the-counter and which is aimed at adults who are suffering from obesity. But just how effective will this new drug be and will it be the solution for the many thousands of obesity sufferers who find that losing weight is tremendously hard work?

To a certain degree we already know the answers since this is not a new drug but is one that has been widely used in the US for several years. The drug, known as Orlistat, is in fact simply a half-dose version of the presently available prescription drug marketed under the name of Xenical.

The usual route to weight loss in cases of obesity is for doctors to start by recommending a period of diet and exercise and, if this does not work, to turn to assisting the dieting process with a range of drugs including Xenical. Finally, if this still proves unsuccessful, individuals might be offered gastric bypass surgery as the ultimate weight loss solution. This insight into the background to treating morbid obesity provides us with an idea of precisely how this obesity pill is to be employed.

Regardless of what individuals might want this is certainly not a case of simply taking a pill one or twice a day and magically shedding pounds. Orlistat works in part by blocking the absorption of fat that is eaten and is most effective when it is taken three times a day with meals containing approximately fifteen grams of fat. If it is taken will meals containing in excess of the recommended fifteen grams of fat taking Orlistat may cause bowel problems.

The use of Orlistat might also hinder the absorption of some vitamins and users should take daily multivitamin tablets. This drug is not advised for people who are taking any form of blood thinning agent or who are under treatment for thyroid problems or diabetes.

In the absence of an accompanying diet and exercise program Orlistat will have little if any affect and you are only likely to derive benefit from its use together with a strict diet and exercise program. Nevertheless, even here the results are likely to be minor and a lot of people question whether the results (predicted from the known results documented from the use of Xenical) make using Orlistat worthwhile.

Perhaps one additional question which we have to ask is exactly why the FDA has chosen to approve the over-the-counter use of this drug at this time. Obesity rates are increasing at epidemic proportions and we are seeing mounting pressure to find an answer to this problem before it literally runs out of control. Many people feel that the approval of Orlistat for over-the-counter use is little more than the FDA's reaction to public pressure.

If Orlistat turns out to be of little if any use it might actually do more harm than good as people who are suffering from obesity turn the Orlistat as the solution to their problem and ignore the need for a strict program of diet and exercise.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

GastricBypassFacts.info provides a definition of morbid obesity and also looks at the value of obesity pills

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