Orlistat works by put off the absorption of fats in the intestines. Common side effects include everyday oily bowel movements, diarrhea, bloating and abdominal pain.
Several over-the-counter tablets are also marketed for weight loss purposes. Alli drug: - the first FDA-approved over-the-counter weight loss drug, which became to be had across the United States last week - is a lower-dose version of Orlistat.
"The ones that pull towards you lipase and prevent fat from being absorbed are relatively safe," Hodges said. "But Xenical has its own side effects. If you eat too much fat, you better keep about four pairs of underwear around. ... It's stable. There have not been any bad side effects apart from you get diarrhea and it's painful. When it comes you can't stop it.
"That's a diet alteration. If you don't eat fats and you take Xenical, you don't have the diarrhea. On the whole, you could save money and just not eat the fats to start with."
Hodges said some drugs under development work as cannabinoid receptor antagonists, which are planned to lower appetite and prevent fats from attaching to lipid molecules. Those drugs, Hodges said, are still in early stages, and not enough is known about their safety.
