What is Xenical? 

Xenical is a weight loss tablet that can help you lose weight alongside a healthy, balanced diet and lifestyle changes. It’s the branded version of the weight loss medication orlistat, which is the active ingredient too. It’s available with a prescription to severely overweight people to help them reach a healthy weight.  

How does Xenical work?

Xenical is taken at mealtimes and works in your digestive system to prevent about one third of the fat in the food you eat from being digested. Xenical attaches to the enzymes in your digestive system (lipases) and blocks them from breaking down some of the fat you have eaten during your meal. This undigested fat is not absorbed into your body and is passed out with your stools.

When taking Xenical, you need to follow a low-fat diet and exercise regularly. If you skip a meal, you shouldn’t take Xenical. Instead focus on making a few realistic changes to your diets and activity routines. 

How effective is Xenical?

Xenical is effective at helping obese or severely overweight people lose weight. It must be taken regularly and in conjunction with a low-calorie, low-fat diet in which no more than 30% of your daily calorie intake comes from fat. Remember that over-consumption of fat and calories may reduce any effect Xenical has.

One study saw that 60% of participants lost at least 5% of their body weight after taking Xenical for 12 weeks.  Treatment with Xenical should only continue beyond three months if you have lost 5% of your body weight. It usually starts to affect how you digest fat within one to two days. If Xenical has not worked after three months, it is unlikely to be an effective treatment for you.

Xenical will not work if you do not combine it with a weight-reducing diet and regular exercise.

How to take Xenical for best results

Make sure to follow the instructions in the patient leaflet when taking Xenical. You should:

• Take one capsule one hour before or after a main meal, three times a day.
• Each capsule should be swallowed whole with a glass of water.
• Not take Xenical if a meal is missed or contains very little fat.
• Never take more than one capsule at a time, as this does not increase effectiveness. 

For best results, follow a low-fat diet, a calorie deficit can help you lose weight. We’re here to support you every step of the way, with more advice and tips.   

What are the side effects of Xenical?

There are some possible side effects when taking Xenical.

Very common side effects (affects more than 1 in 10 people):

• Headaches
• Abdominal pain or discomfort
• Flatulence (wind) with discharge
• Oily discharge
• Oily or fatty stools
• Liquid stools
• Urgent or increased need to open your bowels 

Common side effects (affects 1 to 10 people in 100):

• Rectal pain/discomfort
• Soft stools
• Incontinence (stools)
• Bloating
• Tooth/gum disorder
• Irregular periods
• Tiredness

To reduce the risk of diarrhoea, try and spread your daily fat intake evenly across your meals and do not consume a high-fat diet.

For a full list of possible effects, read the patient information leaflet that comes with the medication. If any side effects concern you, speak to your doctor.

Can I take other medicines with Xenical?

Certain drugs can interact with Xenical and cause a serious reaction, so please provide our doctors with a full list of our medicines when asked. You should also inform your doctor if you start taking any other medication while taking Xenical.

Women taking the oral contraceptive pill are advised to use an additional method of contraception, such as a condom, if they experience diarrhoea while taking Xenical. This is because the contraceptive pill may not be absorbed by your body if you have diarrhoea, so it may not be effective. 

About Xenical

• Important information about Xenical  

  You should only take Xenical as prescribed and never exceed the stated dose. Taking more will not make it work faster. Your prescription is for you – you should never share prescribed medicines with anyone.

  Xenical may reduce your body's ability to absorb Vitamins D, A, E and K from your food so you need to make sure you get enough of these from your diet and ensure you have a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, otherwise please see your doctor who may advise you to take a multivitamin supplement. (If a multivitamin supplement is recommended, it should be taken at least two hours after taking the Xenical).

• Is Xenical an alternative to dieting?

  No. Xenical will only work alongside a low calorie, low fat healthy diet combined with regular exercise. You must limit the calories you eat which come from fat to under 30% of your diet and distribute your daily intake of fat, carbohydrate and protein over three main meals. Find out what you should be eating when taking Xenical.

• Alternative treatments

  Alli is an alternative weight loss treatment that is half the strength of Xenical. It’s available from pharmacies. There are a variety of weight loss treatments available on the market, including supplementary dietary pills and surgical options. However, a healthy diet and regular exercise is an effective way to lose weight and improve your health in the long-term. 

References

https://www.hpra.ie/img/uploaded/swedocuments/Licence_PA1887-004-001_20112020092558.pdf
https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/2592/smpc#gref